Mercury Safe Removal

Mercury-Safe Dentistry

Offering mercury-free, mercury-safe dentistry to Overland Park patients. Our office has been equipped to remove mercury and any other toxic materials from teeth efficiently and safely for over twenty years. During the removal process, we follow the strict guidelines of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology, placing rubber dams around teeth, running high-inflow vacuums and mercury vapor traps, providing patients with an alternative air source during treatment, and disposing of waste in a way that prevents mercury from reaching our local waters.

Mercury Free Dentistry

In his 39 years of practice, Dr. Schulz is proud and fortunate to never have placed an amalgam filling in private practice. Since its development over 180 years ago, amalgam has remained the material of choice by the majority of dentists around the globe, though the numbers are dropping dramatically. Still touted as a safe and effective filling material by the American Dental Association, amalgams continue to be placed by dentists all over the world. Now that the United Nations Minamata Treaty on Mercury (whose aim is to rid the world of industrial mercury) has been signed and ratified by the U.S., we should begin to see the further decline of amalgam use. Our office relies on peer-reviewed, credible science to support our view on mercury-amalgams. We simply choose not to place amalgam fillings AND to properly protect our patients when removing them. Mercury is a natural substance known as one of the most toxic on earth.

Products that once contained mercury, such as conventional thermometers, have been redesigned without this substance because of its high toxicity. It has also been removed from medicaments, like mercurochrome, that used to incorporate mercury in their formulations. Yet, mercury remains a commonly used material for dental restorations. In a filling, mercury heats up when chewing, or when warm foods and beverages are consumed. Once heated, mercury releases vapors into the mouth, which are then absorbed by soft tissues and inhaled into the lungs. Research is investigating potential problems linked to this daily exposure. The term “mercury-free” may be applied to any dentist who chooses not to place mercury-amalgam fillings for any reason (cosmetic improvement, or has concerns over possible toxicity). We like for our patients to know that we are a “mercury-safe” office; one that not only refuses to work with this material, but takes all the precautions necessary to protect our patients and staff when removing it.