Technology & Patient Resources
Air & mercury filtration
How we handle the air in the treatment rooms, and how amalgam waste is captured rather than going down the drain.
Air quality management
High-efficiency air filtration operates throughout the practice — in every operatory, in the surgical suite, and in common areas. These units catch the fine particles and mist that treatment throws up.
This matters most during procedures that produce aerosols: polishing, scaling, and high-speed preparation. Those are also among the most routine things we do, which is why the filtration runs continuously rather than being switched on for specific cases.
Mercury management
Amalgam separators capture mercury-containing waste from every treatment room. Nothing reaches the drain. A licensed contractor removes it, rather than it going into the water system.
This is relevant to any practice that removes old silver fillings, which we do routinely. Doing it responsibly is a matter of environmental protection rather than patient safety — but it is the right standard regardless of which.
Why we go beyond the minimum
For Patients
Cleaner air in the treatment room during procedures that throw up a mist. That matters most for patients whose immune systems are suppressed, or whose health is complicated.
For Staff
Our team spends forty hours a week in this air. The standard we set for them is necessarily higher than the standard set for a patient visiting twice a year.
For the Environment
Dental mercury is a genuine environmental contaminant when handled carelessly. Proper capture and licensed disposal is straightforward to do correctly.
Why amalgam waste is handled separately
Dental amalgam contains mercury. When an old amalgam filling is removed, the particles have to be captured rather than allowed into the wastewater system, because mercury accumulates in the environment and does not break down.
The technical benchmark is an international standard called ISO 11143. It says a separator must remove at least 95 percent of amalgam particles by weight when tested under set conditions.
It is worth being accurate about the rules. There is no single Canada-wide law requiring every dental office to fit one. The national framework is the Canada-wide Standard on Mercury for Dental Amalgam Waste, agreed in 2009. It backs separators meeting ISO 11143. The rules you can actually be held to come from the province, or from your local sewer-use bylaw, and those differ between municipalities.
Captured amalgam is collected and removed by a licensed waste contractor. It is not rinsed, not disposed of with general waste, and not poured away.
Should I have my amalgam fillings replaced?
Usually not, and this is worth answering plainly because it is the question behind most enquiries about mercury.
An amalgam filling that is intact, sealing the tooth and causing no symptoms is generally best left alone. Taking it out means taking tooth with it. And the drilling is the moment particles and vapour are released. So replacing sound fillings on principle trades a possible exposure for a certain one.
There are reasons to replace one: it has fractured, decay has started underneath it, the tooth has cracked around it, or you are having the tooth restored for another reason anyway — dental fillings and dental crowns.
If you would prefer tooth-coloured restorations going forward, that is entirely reasonable and it is what we place as a matter of course. That is a different decision from removing what is already in place and working.
The air in the treatment room
Dental treatment makes aerosol. A high-speed drill, an ultrasonic scaler and air polishing all throw up a fine mist of water, saliva and whatever is being removed.
- High-volume suction at the source captures most of it before it disperses. This is the part that does the heavy lifting, and it is why the assistant's suction placement matters.
- Filtration in the room handles what escapes the suction, particularly during longer procedures.
- It matters most during aerosol-generating work — scaling, polishing, and anything using a high-speed handpiece.
If you have a breathing condition, or your immune system is suppressed, tell us when you book. There are sensible changes we can make to how and when treatment happens. Asking for the first appointment of the day is fair.
Common questions
Should I have my old amalgam fillings taken out?+
Usually not. An intact amalgam filling that is sealing the tooth and causing no symptoms is generally best left alone, because removing it takes tooth structure with it and the drilling is when particles are released. There are reasons to replace one, such as a fracture or decay underneath.
Where does the removed amalgam go?+
Into a separator that captures the particles, then to a licensed waste contractor. The technical standard, ISO 11143, specifies removal of at least 95 percent of amalgam particles by weight.
Is a separator legally required in Ontario?+
The obligation depends on the province and the local wastewater authority's sewer-use bylaw rather than on one national statute. The Canada-wide Standard on Mercury for Dental Amalgam Waste, agreed in 2009, supports separators meeting ISO 11143.
Do you place amalgam fillings?+
We place tooth-coloured restorations as a matter of course. If you would prefer that going forward, that is what you will get.
I have a respiratory condition. Should I mention it?+
Yes, when you book. Dental treatment generates aerosol, and there are sensible adjustments to how and when the appointment is done. The first slot of the day is a reasonable request.
Have a question?
Call (905) 479-7777 to book an appointment.