I know; it isn't nice to call someone ignorant or dumb but he really does deserve it.

This morning I went in for a cleaning and he found two teeth which needed filling and did I want to do it now or make an appointment so I said let's do it now.

I said all my fillings but two are very old mercury fillings I've had since childhood.

He said we aren't doing any old ones. Next thing I know he's drilling and I feel and hear pop pop pop!!

I said did the drill break or my tooth? He said neither; it's just the mercury filling!

I told him he and the assistant really needed face shields or protection from the mercury and he should use a low speed on the drill to reduce vapors.

Note to self:
Don't get anyone angry when they have a drill in their hand.

He said don't worry about it and kept going. When he finished I told him again that mercury vapors from old fillings could be considered a hazard to both he and his assistant.

He glared at me and walked away. I know he thinks I am a nut case but in this case I know I am right.

Anyhow; I am going to be shopping for a new Dentist; one who knows about old mercury fillings and how to be nice to little old ladies!!

Yeah, your dentist sounds like an arrogant jerk. It's not just the dentist and his tech that would be in danger of the vapors...your the one they're removing it from, you're breathing it in as they're removing it too.

My dentist suited up in face masks and paper gowns when she did my mercury fillings. She also had a thing called an isolite (think I'm spelling that right) that's like a high powered vacuum that sucks out the mercury vapors and debris that are released when they start drilling into an amalgam filling.

That was in addition to the suction tubes that dentists normally use for sucking up spit and things like that. She was trying to keep any of the amalgam she was removing from getting into my system or her and the tech's systems too. I pay a lot extra for having such a good dentist, but at least she makes me feel like she's trying to do things correctly.

My old dentist probably wouldnt have even considered removing all my amalgams that he put into me. (had an incident where he was a jerk to me and threw instruments across the room when I didnt numb up as fast as he wanted me to once. I'll never go back to the old dentist)

You could probably report your dentist to your local HHS (Health and Human Services) or to the AMA (American Medical Association...think that's the right place)