At our Center for Integrative Wellness and Cosmetic Dentistry, wellness dentistry isn't a slogan — it's the lens through which we look at every material we place in, and every material we remove from, your mouth. Few topics illustrate that better than amalgam fillings.
The "silver" fillings placed in millions of mouths over the past century aren't actually silver. They're roughly 50% mercury, mixed with a powdered alloy of silver, tin, and copper. Mercury is a known neurotoxin, which is why safe removal isn't an upcharge or marketing add-on here — it's our standard of care.
Amalgam Fillings Release Mercury Vapor
Mercury isn't locked inertly inside an amalgam filling. It releases small amounts of vapor continuously — and that release intensifies with chewing, grinding, hot drinks, and especially with drilling. Removing an old filling without proper protocols can expose a patient to more mercury vapor in a few minutes than years of having the filling in place. That single fact is why removal technique matters as much as the decision to remove.
The FDA Now Officially Recognizes the Risk
This isn't a fringe concern. In September 2020, the FDA updated its guidance to advise against amalgam use in pregnant women and their developing fetuses, women planning to become pregnant, nursing women and their infants, children under six, people with pre-existing neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's, people with impaired kidney function, and people with known mercury sensitivity. That list encompasses a significant portion of the American population — meaning many of our patients in Katy and the surrounding communities fall into one of these groups.
The FDA's guidance focuses on placement, but the same vapor logic applies to removal: if drilling out amalgam releases a burst of mercury, that moment demands the highest level of care.
It's Not Just About You
Safe removal also protects our team — who would otherwise be exposed daily — and the environment. According to the EPA, dental offices are the largest source of mercury entering sewage treatment plants, with dentists nationally discharging about 5.1 tons of mercury into publicly owned treatment works, most of which ends up in the environment. Using amalgam separators and proper waste-handling protocols is part of doing this responsibly — for our patients, our community, and our planet.
How to Keep Things Safe
The standard we follow every time: rubber dam isolation, high-volume suction, copious water cooling, sectioning the filling instead of grinding it, supplemental clean air for you to breathe through a nasal mask, room-air filtration, protective coverings, and proper amalgam waste capture. Every layer reduces vapor exposure during the procedure.
Why It Fits Our Wellness Dentistry Philosophy
We treat the mouth as part of the whole body, not as a separate system. That means taking seriously what materials we place in your mouth, what we remove, and how we remove it. As the first and only certified biological dental practice in Katy, TX, we believe you deserve to know your options, the benefits and limitations of each, and to never feel pressured into treatment.
Ready to Talk About Your Fillings?
If you have old amalgam fillings and have been considering replacement, we'd love to walk you through whether — and when — it makes sense for your situation.
Call our Katy office at (281) 392-8450 or schedule a wellness exam. Beautiful Smile. Healthy You.