The Science Archives

Based on up-to-date scientific research, the IAOMT has developed rigorous recommendations for removing existing dental mercury amalgam fillings to assist in reducing the potential negative health outcomes of mercury exposure to patients, dental professionals, dental students, office staff, and others. The IAOMT’s recommendations are known as the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique (SMART). To learn more about the science behind SMART, choose from one of these two options.

To access scientific research related to the specific engineering controls used at the dental office to mitigate mercury exposures during amalgam removal, click on the button below:

INSERT BUTTON READING: Selected Research Relevant to SMART

To read the Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique with scientific citations, click on the button below:

INSERT BUTTON READING: SMART Recommendations with Citations

Effects from exposure to dental amalgam on systemic mercury levels in patients and dental school students

Effects from exposure to dental amalgam on systemic mercury levels in patients and dental school students

Patients and dental students showed higher urine mercury after early contact with amalgam fillings—why careful handling and safer removal matter.

theSMARTchoice2026-09-12T17:26:14+00:00October 1st, 2010|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2010, Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, selected-research|

Blood mercury level and its determinants among dental practitioners in Hamadan, Iran

Blood mercury level and its determinants among dental practitioners in Hamadan, Iran

The mean blood concentration of mercury was 6.3 μg/l (SD=1.31 range 4.15–8.93). BML was positively associated with age, years in practice, working hours per day, number of amalgam restorations per day, number of amalgam removal per week, sea food consumption, working years in present office, using amalgam powder, using diamond bur for amalgam removal, dry sterilization of amalgam contaminated instruments, and deficient air ventilation.

theSMARTchoice2026-09-12T17:27:02+00:00June 1st, 2010|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2010, Iran), Journal of dentistry (Tehran, selected-research|

Air quality in the endodontist’s dental surgery

Air quality in the endodontist’s dental surgery

Amalgam waste storage is done in a leak-proof, plastic container filled with water until disposed according to manufacturer instructions (Nixon and Rowbotham 1971, Mantyla and Wright 1976, Johnson 1978). Habitual amalgamator checks for cracks and mercury leakage is crucial (Langworth et al. 1997, Brown and Sherriff 2002).

theSMARTchoice2026-09-12T17:28:14+00:00January 1st, 2009|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2009, New Zealand Endodontic Journal, selected-research|

Design and evaluation of a filter-based chairside amalgam separation system

Design and evaluation of a filter-based chairside amalgam separation system

This study evaluated the ability of a chairside filtration system to remove particulate-based mercury (Hg) from dental-unit wastewater. Prototypes of the chairside filtration system were designed and fabricated using reusable filter chambers with disposable filter elements. The system was installed in five dental operatories utilizing filter elements with nominal pore sizes of 50μm, 15μm, 1μm, 0.5μm, or with no system installed (control).

theSMARTchoice2026-09-09T23:18:34+00:00June 1st, 2008|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2008, Science of the Total Environment, selected-research|

Changed clinical chemistry pattern in blood after removal of dental amalgam and other metal alloys supported by antioxidant therapy

Changed clinical chemistry pattern in blood after removal of dental amalgam and other metal alloys supported by antioxidant therapy

This study aimed to investigate a possible connection between removal of dental amalgam restorations supported by antioxidant therapy and indicative changes of clinical chemistry parameters. A group of 24 patients, referred for complaints related to amalgam restorations, underwent a removal of their amalgams. All patients were treated with antioxidants (vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, and sodium selenite).

theSMARTchoice2026-09-15T04:38:52+00:00December 1st, 2007|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2007, Biological Trace Element Research, selected-research|

Mercury toxicity presenting as chronic fatigue, memory impairment and depression

Mercury toxicity presenting as chronic fatigue, memory impairment and depression

Fatigue, memory trouble, and low mood can sometimes track with mercury exposure. This report walks through how those symptoms may show up—and why safer amalgam care still matters.

theSMARTchoice2026-09-10T03:32:53+00:00August 1st, 2006|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2006, Neuro Endocrinology Letters, selected-research|

Mercury recovery in situ of four different dental amalgam separators

Mercury recovery in situ of four different dental amalgam separators

Abolishing the use of dental amalgam and cleaning the tubing systems is the most efficient long-term solution to reduce Hg emissions from dental clinics. Until then, Hg emissions originating from placing, polishing or removing existing amalgam fillings, should be counteracted by the use of low-emission amalgam separators, already on the market or presently being developed for use alone or together with sedimentary type amalgam separators.

theSMARTchoice2026-09-09T23:22:30+00:00July 1st, 2006|Categories: The Science|

Evaluating amalgam separators using an international standard

Evaluating amalgam separators using an international standard

This laboratory evaluation shows that amalgam separators and the filtration devices removed at least 97.05 percent of the amalgam in samples with particle-size distribution as specified in ISO Standard 11143.

theSMARTchoice2026-09-09T20:02:19+00:00July 1st, 2006|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2006, Journal of the American Dental Association, selected-research|

An assessment of mercury in the form of amalgam in dental wastewater in the United States

An assessment of mercury in the form of amalgam in dental wastewater in the United States

The annual use of mercury in the form of amalgam in the U.S. is approximately 35.2 tons (31.9 metric tons). It was estimated that 29.7 tons (26.9 metric tons) of mercury in the form of amalgam are annually discharged to the internal wastewater systems of dental facilities during amalgam placements and removals. Based on the partial capture of this amalgam in conventional chair-side traps and vacuum filters, the discharge of mercury in the form of amalgam from dental facilities to POTWs was estimated to be 6.5 tons (5.9 metric tons). The discharge of mercury to surface water via POTW effluents and SSI emissions was estimated to total approximately 0.4 tons (0.4 metric tons).

theSMARTchoice2026-09-09T20:50:45+00:00June 1st, 2005|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2005, selected-research, Water Air and Soil Pollution|

The Weight of Wastes Generated by Removal of Dental Amalgam Restorations and the Concentration of Mercury in Dental Wastewater

The Weight of Wastes Generated by Removal of Dental Amalgam Restorations and the Concentration of Mercury in Dental Wastewater

Removing old mercury fillings creates waste that still contains mercury. This study weighed that waste and checked mercury in dental wastewater—another reason separators and careful cleanup matter.

theSMARTchoice2026-09-15T04:54:26+00:00October 1st, 2002|Categories: The Science|Tags: 2002, Journal-Canadian Dental Association, selected-research|

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