Mercury free dentistry Dr. Panahpour, Westside Los Angeles
No amalgam goes into your mouth here. Teeth are restored with tooth coloured, metal free materials, and old silver fillings come out under the SMART protocol when they need to.
- No amalgam placed: bonded, tooth coloured restorations instead
- Old silver fillings removed under the IAOMT's SMART protocol
- About 15 miles from downtown, at the Santa Monica office
- Weston A. Price Foundation
- Remarkable Dentists Podcast
- Exposing Mold Podcast
- Dr. Wendy Myers
- This Healthy Life
Two different promises. You want both.
A mercury free dentist does not place new silver fillings. A mercury safe dentist takes old ones out with precautions that limit the vapour released. Plenty of offices offer one without the other.
Dr. Panahpour does both. No amalgam is placed in this practice, and when an old amalgam filling has to come out, it comes out under the IAOMT's SMART protocol.
This page is for you if
- You want no mercury or metal added to your mouth
- You are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or nursing and need a filling
- Your physician has asked about the materials in your mouth
- You want old silver fillings assessed honestly, not removed by default
Materials chosen with your body in mind.
Every material has trade offs. These are the ones used here, and why.
Composite resin
Tooth coloured and bonded to the tooth, so less healthy structure has to be removed than for an amalgam filling.
Ceramic
Porcelain inlays, onlays and crowns, made to fit precisely and free of metal.
Zirconia
A white ceramic for implants and strong restorations where no metal is wanted. Used here since 2001.
Glass ionomer
For small fillings and areas near the gumline, where it bonds well and releases fluoride.
Your history first
Known sensitivities and your health history are discussed before any material is chosen.
California requires a materials fact sheet.
Under California's Business and Professions Code, dentists must give new patients and patients of record the Dental Board of California's Dental Materials Fact Sheet before any filling work. It compares amalgam, composite, glass ionomer, porcelain and metal alloys, with their benefits and drawbacks.
It is a good place to start the conversation. Dr. Panahpour will walk you through which materials suit your teeth and your health history, and why.
Not sure this is right for you?
Ask Dr. Panahpour directly. The first conversation is unhurried, typically 60 to 90 minutes, by phone or in person.
IAOMT accredited. SMART certified.
Dr. Panahpour has been a member of the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology since 2012. He is accredited and SMART certified, the Academy's training in safe amalgam removal.
He trained in biomimetic dentistry at the Alleman-Deliperi school in Sardinia and now teaches it, which is why restorations here are bonded and conservative rather than cut for a crown by default.
I've had three surgeries with Dr. Panahpour and I couldn't be in better hands. His focus on the whole-body system, his constantly updated knowledge, and his genuine care for me as a patient are second to none. I would whole-heartedly recommend him to anyone who wants to understand the connection between oral health and body health.
Mercury free care, at the Santa Monica office
Everything below happens at 2701 Ocean Park Boulevard, about 15 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
Safe mercury filling removal
When old amalgam needs to come out: isolation, suction at the source and a separate air supply, under the SMART protocol.
Safe removal, step by stepBiomimetic restoration
Bonded, tooth coloured restorations that keep more of the natural tooth. Often an alternative to a crown.
How biomimetic works
Zirconia implants
Metal free ceramic implants, planned on a 3D scan.
About zirconia implants
Ozone therapy
Ozone to disinfect the tooth before it is sealed.
How ozone is usedBiological dentistry
Materials and methods chosen for how your body responds to them.
Biological dentist in Santa Monica
Oral systemic health
Your mouth looked at alongside your health history, with your physician kept informed.
About oral systemic healthVisit us in Santa Monica.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
- Parking
- Garage in the building
- Nearby
- Minutes from Venice and Mar Vista
- Hours
- By appointment
- Phone
- (310) 986-6001
Patients also travel in from across Southern California and from more than fourteen countries.
What people ask before booking.
Anything else, ask Dr. Panahpour directly.
Ask a question ›What is a mercury free dentist?
A dentist who does not place amalgam, the silver filling that is about half mercury by weight. Teeth are restored with composite, ceramic or other metal free materials instead.
Is mercury free the same as mercury safe?
No. Mercury free means no new amalgam is placed. Mercury safe describes how old amalgam is removed, with precautions such as the IAOMT's SMART protocol. Dr. Panahpour's practice is both.
Is amalgam still used in the United States?
Yes. It is legal and still used, though less every year. The FDA recommends that people at higher risk, including those who are pregnant or nursing, children under six, and people with kidney or neurological conditions or a mercury allergy, avoid new amalgam where possible and appropriate.
Should I replace my silver fillings?
Not automatically. The FDA does not recommend removing amalgam that is in good condition unless a health professional considers it necessary. Fillings that are cracked, leaking or decayed underneath need replacing anyway, and those can come out under the SMART protocol.
Are tooth coloured fillings as strong as amalgam?
They have improved a great deal, but the FDA notes they may not match amalgam in some high load areas of the back teeth. That is why the restoration is matched to the tooth, and larger repairs are often done as bonded ceramic inlays or onlays.
Will I receive the California Dental Materials Fact Sheet?
Yes. California dentists provide it to new patients and patients of record before filling work, and Dr. Panahpour is happy to go through it with you.
Where do Los Angeles patients go for treatment?
To the Santa Monica office at 2701 Ocean Park Boulevard, about 15 miles from downtown along the 10. There is a garage in the building.
Ask about your materials.
Bring recent x-rays if you have them. The first conversation is typically 60 to 90 minutes, by phone or in person.
- 01Reach outSend the form, call or WhatsApp. Your message goes straight to Dr. Panahpour.
- 02A real conversationYour history, what has already been tried, and what you want from this. No rush.
- 03A clear planWhat he finds and what he would do, including when the answer is that you need nothing.
Closer to Sacramento? See the Sacramento office
Got it. Thank you.
Your message reached Dr. Panahpour directly. Someone from the office will reply within 1 to 2 business days.