BioDental HubThe Clifford Reactivity Testing panel screens 94 chemical groups found in over 9,000 dental materials — identifying immune reactivity before any material is placed.
Biocompatibility Testing Before Anything Else
Before we remove a single filling or place any restoration, we need to know what your immune system will tolerate. Two validated tests guide this decision:
- Clifford Reactivity Testing: Blood serum test screening 94 chemical groups across all major dental materials. Results guide material selection at the individual immune level, not population averages.
- MELISA (Memory Lymphocyte Immunostimulation Assay): Gold-standard test for type IV metal hypersensitivity. Particularly relevant for patients with autoimmune diagnoses, as nickel, mercury, and palladium are common triggers.
- Galvanic Current Measurement: We measure the micro-electrical currents generated between dissimilar metals in your mouth. Currents above 5 µA correlate with accelerated corrosion and systemic metal burden.
Who needs this: Anyone with autoimmune conditions (Hashimoto's, lupus, MS, rheumatoid arthritis), chronic unexplained fatigue, or multiple existing metal restorations. Post-cancer patients preparing for immunotherapy should complete this panel before any oral revision work.
"My rheumatologist had been treating my joint pain for six years without once asking about the eight amalgam fillings I've had since childhood. The MELISA test showed mercury hypersensitivity at the first reading. That was the missing piece."
Illustrative only. Your actual panel tests 94 chemical groups across all dental materials.
During conventional amalgam removal, patients and dental staff are exposed to mercury vapor at concentrations 10–100× higher than baseline. The SMART protocol reduces this exposure by over 90%.
Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique
The SMART protocol, established by the International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (IAOMT), is the only peer-reviewed standard for amalgam removal. Every step is designed to minimize mercury vapor inhalation and particle ingestion.
Our clinic is IAOMT SMART-certified. This means the following safeguards are non-negotiable for every amalgam removal appointment:
Rubber dam isolation
Physical barrier — full oral field
Nasal oxygen supply
Continuous throughout procedure
Chunk sectioning
Minimizes vapor generation
High-volume evacuation
Continuous suction at source
We sequence removals across multiple appointments — never removing all fillings in one session. This prevents acute systemic mercury load and allows the body's elimination pathways to process each round.
"I'd been told by two other dentists that 'safe removal' was marketing. Then I read the IAOMT research myself. The difference between a standard removal and a SMART removal is not subtle — it's the difference between a controlled demolition and knocking down a wall with a hammer."
Rubber Dam Isolation
Full barrier — no swallowing particles
Oxygen Supply
Nasal cannula throughout procedure
Sectioning Technique
Chunk removal — minimizes vaporization
High-Volume Evacuation
Continuous suction at source
Activated Charcoal Rinse
Immediate post-removal binding
Zirconia (yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal) exhibits zero galvanic reactivity, is fully MRI-compatible, and has a 15-year clinical survival rate exceeding 96% in posterior implant sites — Journal of Clinical Periodontology, 2023.
Not All Tooth-Colored
Restorations Are Equal
Material selection is determined by your Clifford panel results, the location of the tooth, and whether an implant is required. This table summarizes the clinical tradeoffs.
| Material | Biocompat. | Durability | Aesthetic | Cost | Clinical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Amalgam (Mercury) | Poor | High | Poor | $ | Contains 50% mercury by weight; releases vapor continuously |
Composite Resin | Moderate | Moderate | Excellent | $$ | BPA-free options available; technique-sensitive placement |
Ceramic (Feldspathic) | Good | High | Excellent | $$$ | Highly biocompatible; requires Clifford panel to confirm |
ZirconiaPREFERRED | Excellent | Very High | Excellent | $$$$ | Gold standard for implants; zero galvanic interference; MRI-safe |
"My oncologist specifically requested I eliminate any chronic oral infections and all metal restorations before starting immunotherapy. The zirconia implants were the right call — no galvanic interference, no ongoing metal burden."
Mercury redistribution peaks 24–72 hours post-removal. Without active binding support, mobilized mercury can cross the blood-brain barrier before renal excretion — ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Mercury, 2022.
Detox Support Is Part of the Protocol, Not Optional
Amalgam removal is the beginning of mercury elimination, not the end. Once fillings are removed, the body begins mobilizing stored mercury from tissue deposits — primarily kidneys, liver, and central nervous system.
Our detox protocol coordinates three phases:
- Binding: Activated charcoal and chlorella are initiated 24 hours before removal and continued for 72 hours post-procedure to capture mobilized mercury in the GI tract before reabsorption.
- Drainage Support: Lymphatic drainage, liver support (milk thistle, phosphatidylcholine), and kidney drainage herbs are prescribed for weeks 1–4 to keep elimination pathways open under increased load.
- Chelation Support: Glutathione precursors (NAC, glycine, glutamine) and mineral repletion address the oxidative burden and secondary mineral displacement caused by chronic mercury exposure.
Important: We co-manage detox with your integrative physician or naturopath. If you don't have one, we can refer. Chelation agents (DMSA, DMPS) are only initiated after all metal restorations are removed — never during an active removal sequence.
"I felt worse for the first two weeks after removal — which my dentist had warned me about. By week six, the brain fog I'd attributed to 'just getting older' had cleared noticeably. My integrative doctor confirmed my urinary mercury dropped from 8.4 to 1.2 µg/g creatinine at the three-month mark."
Detox Timeline
Activated charcoal + chlorella
Drainage support (lymph, liver, kidney)
Glutathione precursors + mineral repletion
MELISA re-test + hair mineral analysis
Full biomarker panel — mercury, lead, arsenic
Hair mineral analysis at 3 and 6 months post-removal provides the most reliable non-invasive measure of mercury body burden reduction — reflecting tissue stores rather than acute exposure.
Monitoring Closes the Loop — Every Value Documented
Biological dentistry is not a single procedure. It's a documented clinical relationship. Our monitoring protocol tracks five key indicators over 12 months following completion of all removal and replacement work:
- Urinary mercury: Target: < 2 µg/g creatinine — Baseline, 3-month, 6-month
- Hair mineral analysis: Mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium panel — Most reliable tissue burden marker
- Serum glutathione: Target: > 1.0 mmol/L — Antioxidant capacity recovery
- Galvanic current re-measurement: Target: < 5 µA at all sites — Confirms zero metal interference
- Oral microbiome sequencing: Pathogen load reduction — Particularly for root canal revision patients
Every result is entered into your patient record and shared with your referring physician or specialist. Our goal is to make the oral cavity legible to the rest of your care team — no more siloed dentistry.
"I brought my 12-month monitoring report to my rheumatologist. For the first time in our relationship, she asked me to send her the name of my dentist. She said she'd never seen a dental practice produce this level of clinical documentation."
Long-Term Biomarker Targets
Urinary Mercury
Optimal
Serum Glutathione
Target
RBC Magnesium
Optimal
Galvanic Current
Measured at consult
Oral Microbiome
Sequencing panel
Request Your
Biocompatibility Consult
A 60-minute intake appointment with full records review, galvanic current measurement, and a personalized treatment plan. No obligation to proceed.
Not ready to book?
Download the 12-point Safe Removal Checklist used by SMART-certified practitioners — bring it to any dentist to verify their protocol.
IAOMT SMART Certified
International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology
Clifford & MELISA Testing
In-house coordination, same-week results
Integrative Care Coordination
We correspond directly with your physicians
HIPAA-Compliant Records
Full data portability — your records, always