"At any rate, I called to ask them if they did removal and if they took care to not allow the mercury to reabsorb. They said they put the 'dam' around the tooth and had a tube to release the fumes (or whatever it is called).

My question to you is on March 3rd, I have a consultation to check prices, procedure and such. What do I want to ask? To know how well they perform? As well, they mentioned they May need an x-ray to see depth of filling and such. Would an xray be necessary... I am not concerned about an xray, per'se, due to a fast I will begin the week after...just checking."

i had not forgotten you, beth, i was simply waiting for enough steam to do it justice. you did say you needed the info by the 3rd of march.

here is the deal. any dentist can change out the filling. the problem is exposure to yourself and the others in the room.

i would not go with a dam. it can complicte the procedure and get in the way. bits of metal can hide underneath it. it really doesnt accomplish anything. the key is suction and lots of it. do not swallow during the procedure. sit up and rinse and spit as much as you need to.

the bit will create fumes. a slower speed and tons of cold water are needed. the actual removal does not take long. cutting the metal out should be done on all of them first. then the fine work can be done once the metal is no longer present.

fresh or bottled air can be provided to your nose during removal. this helps, but if the removal is expert in its technique and coordination between the dentist and the technician, little if any will be inhaled. i prefer the air and the others in the room should wear respirators during this phase.

you can get the xrays if you want but the bottom line is that you are going to replace the amalgam no matter what. if they are deep, it may take a while for them to settle down. being in the chair is no place to make a decision. decide first what will happen. NO root canals. and if there is not enough tooth for a filling to work then youre looking at filling with composite and then grinding for a cap. just have it filled. decide later. if the tooth doesnt settle down then youre looking at extraction. it took some of mine six months to quit hurting.

dont do any Vit C leading up to the procedure. it will neutralize the novocaine. just before the procedure take a handful of activated charcoal. later that day you can resume vit C, etc. i recommend lots of selenium the day of and for a week at least.

so dont breath fumes or swallow slurry. have a game plan with the dentist and be in control. no matter how it goes, youre better off with them out.