Amalgam (silver) fillings contain mercury. When old fillings are drilled out, mercury vapour and particles are released. The Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART), developed by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT), is a protocol designed to reduce that exposure for you and our team.
How we remove amalgam fillings
- A rubber dam to isolate the tooth
- High-volume suction close to the tooth
- Air filtration in the surgery
- Plenty of water cooling
- Cutting the filling into pieces rather than grinding it away
- Protective covers and equipment for you and the team
Why patients choose removal
- personal health preference
- wanting a metal-free mouth
- appearance: replacing dark fillings with tooth-coloured ones
- old, cracked or leaking fillings that need replacing anyway
Removal is not always necessary. We check each filling and will tell you honestly if it is sound. UK health bodies consider amalgam fillings safe for most people, and we don’t recommend removing sound fillings for general health reasons alone.
What replaces the filling
Small cavities are restored with Admira Fusion by VOCO, a BPA-free white composite. Larger ones may need a ceramic inlay, onlay or crown, made in our own laboratory and colour-matched to your teeth.
Travelling a long way? Make your first visit count
Many of our amalgam removal patients travel a long way, so we plan your first visit to do as much as safely possible.
- Ask your current dentist for your recent X-rays. You have a legal right to a copy of your dental records, including X-rays, under data protection law, and the practice should send them free of charge within one month.
- Email them to us before your visit at reception@miserdendentalpractice.co.uk, with your name, date of birth and which fillings you would like removed.
- Tell reception you would like two fillings removed on the day. Our dentist will look at your X-rays beforehand to check whether they are straightforward replacements in healthy teeth.
- On the day you will still have a new patient examination first (£120), so we can check your teeth and gums and confirm the plan. If the X-rays and examination show the fillings are straightforward, we aim to remove and replace two in the same visit, and we book the extra time for this in advance.
If anything needs a closer look, such as a deep filling or a tooth that may need more than a filling, we will explain why and plan the next steps with you, rather than rushing.
Cost
Amalgam removal using the SMART protocol costs £315 per filling, plus the replacement filling or ceramic restoration. A holistic consultation (£180) is recommended first, so we can plan the order of removal with you.
Who does this treatment here
- Dr Zac Cox (BDS, Cardiff, UK, 1992; GDC 67425): over 30 years' experience, a particular focus on SMART removal.
- Kerry Braithwaite (Dental Hygienist and Therapist; GDC 152813): SMART amalgam removal and white fillings. If Dr Cox is unavailable and you have travelled a long way, Kerry can see you.
Who you will see
Start with a holistic consultation with Dr Zac Cox. Removal is with Dr Zac Cox or Kerry Braithwaite, both trained in the SMART protocol. See who to book with for every treatment.
Prices: see our price list for safe amalgam removal and fillings, or the full fees and plans.
Frequently asked questions
Who carries out safe amalgam removal at Miserden? Dr Zac Cox and our hygienist-therapist Kerry Braithwaite, both using the SMART protocol. Start with a holistic consultation with Dr Cox.
How much does safe amalgam removal cost? £315 per filling, plus the replacement filling or ceramic restoration. You receive a written estimate before treatment.
What replaces my amalgam filling? Usually a BPA-free white filling (Admira Fusion by VOCO) or, for larger teeth, a ceramic inlay, onlay or crown made in our on-site lab.
I live in London or Bristol. Can I come to you? Yes. Many patients travel from London, Bristol, Bath, Birmingham, Cardiff, Reading, Newbury and across the South West: see travelling to us. Email your X-rays first and we will try to combine your examination and first removal into one visit.
Concerned about dental materials? We encourage you to have any allergy tests done before treatment starts: get your treatment plan from your dentist, then see your dermatologist first, who will say which materials to test. See allergy testing before treatment for the materials to ask about and where to get tested. A sample pack of our materials for your tester is £95 (plus £5.50 postage).
Related treatments
Book your appointment
Call 01285 821220 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or book a consultation, check-up or hygiene appointment online. We are at The Estate Barn, Miserden, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL6 7JA, in the Cotswolds: about 15 minutes from Stroud, 20 from Cirencester and 25 from Cheltenham, with free parking.