yes, as mike said, your dentist lied. he may not even know the truth, most dentists don't. all that crap about the cheesecloth is just that, crap. plus, he lied about not being able to give u a white filling. metal destroys more tooth structure than white fillings, much more. metal doesn't like to stick to teeth; that is why they have to drill out so much to place one. then, patients end up with a big plus sign looking filling when all they had was a small cavity. the ADA recommends replacement of mercury fillings every 8 years due to pitting and galvanizing from electrolytes and oxygen in your mouth. they stain the teeth black and will eventually turn them to powder. but, more than anything else, your dentist lied to u saying he would not use mercury. i would be furious, demand my money back and call the better business bureau. i would not let that dentist touch me again.