I have to admit, when I first started amalgam removal I had no rubber dam. I didn't even know about them then. I relied totally on the assistant using the suction.

My later amalgams were removed with all the protection. I noticed NO difference, if anything, coincidence I don't know, I was worse. In fact, I had a rubber dam yet swallowed the removed amalgam. Perhaps bcause it's easier trapped or not seen as clearly or the fact the assistant didn't take as much care and got sloppy because I had a dam on. At any rate, they removed the dam, and didn't remove the amalgam. I swallowed it.

I was extremely ill after that removal. So I can't say the dam seemed to make any difference. To me, if anything, they maybe less careful with their removal and clean up. When there is no dam, they tend to be ultra cautious and the suction is used non stop and very very exact.

Also on my last removal, I also had goggles to protect my eyes. yet the odd thing was, I was still much sicker than my previous "no protection" removals. Though I know mercury vapor is very bad, how is it I was far sicker from swallowing mercury than I was with the no protection removals? I was poisoned so badly from it, that I twitched on the way home in the car. My face, lips everything.

I then developed headaches and crying. Yet people said swallowing mercury wasn't a big deal. Well if that was the case, I'd not have gotten such a dramatic bad reaction and it's not as though it improved in a day. I had to chelate for sometime to even remotely improve that but I was worse off than I had been prior.

So protection is only as good as the dentist is careful. If they think that they have all the protection, therefore they can be a little more slapdash, it will undo any good that extra protection could have done for that patient.