The Orange County cosmetic dentist tells us that SMART stands for Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique. It is a global health initiative that helps to protect dental employees, dental patients, and the worldwide environment from the dangerous effects of mercury that is produced during the removal of a dental amalgam filling, which includes about fifty percent mercury.
The best dentist Orange County at Aria Dental, Maryam Horiyat DDS, uses the SMART protocol to safely remove metal and amalgam fillings from our patient’s teeth. Our team makes up a handful of dentists who follow this meticulous protocol. Keep in mind that the SMART protocol is more thorough than what many dentists, even holistic dentists, use when extracting these fillings.
For the patient, getting the SMART technique performed does not involve a lot more from them nor does it take up more of their time. What makes the SMART technique unique compared to the traditional approach of removing mercury fillings is what occurs behind the scenes to make sure the healthiest procedure occurs from A to Z for you!
What’s SMART Amalgam Removal?
The SMART technique is performed by biologic and holistic dentists who have done research on heavy metals such as mercury, and how it affects the human body. It is a specialized technique needing special barriers and vacuum sources to lower the patient’s exposure to the mercury vapor’s toxic fumes. When this is done, the patient’s exposure is reduced, and also the exposure to the best dentist Mission Viejo and the rest of Orange County along with the team helping in the procedure.
Who Is A Suitable Candidate For The SMART Protocol?
The cosmetic dentist in Mission Viejo and the rest of Orange County uses the SMART protocol whenever removing amalgam fillings. Normally, amalgam fillings are produced from a mixture of silver, mercury, copper, tine, and sometimes zinc. These amalgam fillings are still in use in the United States and elsewhere around the world. Although they are referred to as “silver fillings”, mainly because of their silver color, they are 45% to 55% elemental mercury. Nonetheless, mercury has demonstrated itself to be a toxin and is harmful to your health.
Mercury can build up within the body, and the quantity of accumulated mercury is considered unsafe. For this reason, removing these fillings is vital to a person’s overall health, but it has to be done correctly.
What’s The Importance Of SMART Amalgam Removal
It’s a good idea to let the cosmetic dentist Orange County perform a SMART Amalgam removal on your mercury fillings because extracting failing mercury dental fillings contain about 50% mercury, and mercury has been notoriously linked to many systemic health issues. The SMART procedure reduces the exposure to mercury while inadequate amalgam fillings are taken out. When your dentist does not use the SMART Amalgam Removal on these types of fillings, amalgam is in direct contact with the mucosal membranes in the body.
What Does SMART Amalgam Removal Involve?
The SMART Amalgam removal involves a lot of safety protocols to make sure that the exposure to mercury vapor is reduced.
Before removing any fillings, it is recommended that the patient strengthens their body to be better prepared to clear away toxins. It is vital that the kidneys, liver, and lymphatic system can process this as safely as possible. An appropriate treatment plan will be created and radiographs will also be taken to ensure there are no traces of mercury under existing fillings and crowns. Furthermore, mercury fillings should be removed in the right sequence.
Ahead of the amalgam removal process, the patient will be requested to rinse with activated charcoal in an attempt to neutralize tissue in order to avoid exposure. Then supplemental oxygen is placed as well as proper barrier protection on the patient including protective drapes, external vacuuming, a non-latex dental dam, suctioning and special mercury filtration units in the rooms. Also, the dental team wears protective clothing and mercury filtering masks to reduce their exposure too.
As the amalgam filling is extracted in large pieces to reduce vaporization, the dentists use suction and lots of cool water to dilute the mercury fumes. Three various suctions are used to gather saliva and amalgam pieces, while also filtering the room to make sure the mercury fumes don’t linger around.
The patient has to wear an oxygen mask during SMART Amalgam Removal to make sure the body is balancing the fumes that go in and out. Also, the oxygen mask helps to reduce any mercury fumes and amalgam particles from getting into the body. The non-latex dam that has the appropriate seal will lower the amount of particles that can get on the mouth’s tissues and also prevent pieces from going down the throat. Moreover, barriers will be placed to protect the patient’s clothing as well. Once all the filling is extracted, a dental radiograph is taken by your cosmetic dentist Mission Viejo to ensure there are no traces of mercury left behind.
How Does The SMART Protocol Work?
The IAOMT recommends the SMART protocol. Holistic dentists believe it is essential to make sure their patients receive optimal health and safety.
The SMART protocol consists of the following actions:
- Prior to the procedure, an amalgam separator must be installed to gather mercury amalgam waste and stop it from being released into the dental office.
- Before the procedure, the patient should receive an absorbent to rinse and swallow (unless they refuse, or there is a contraindication with doing so).
- If the room is being used for removing mercury fillings, it has a Swiss IQ high-volume air purification system that can remove amalgam particles and mercury vapor.
- If the patient wants to, they can wear protective gowns.
- Every dental team member wears non-latex nitrile gloves.
- A dental dam is used to correctly seal the patient’s mouth.
- A saliva ejector is used together with the dam to lower the patient’s mercury exposure.
Also, other requirements are involved during as well as after the procedure when it comes to the removal and disposal of mercury. All of these steps work together to maintain the health and safety of the staff, facility, and above all, the patient.
