The aim of the project is to study changes in symptom load after removal of all dental amalgam restorations in patients with symptoms allegedly related to amalgam.

Patients referred from dentists and physicians in the period 1993 to 1999 to the Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit, Department of Health, UNIFOB AS, for symptoms related to amalgam restorations are randomized into treatment group (n=20) or reference group (n=20). All patients in the treatment group are followed 3, 12, 36 and 60 months after completion of amalgam removal with questionnaires on health outcomes, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) and laboratory tests.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Referred for examination of general health complaints related to amalgam
• Health complaints from at least three different organ systems
• Dental amalgam restorations present
• Data available on concentration of mercury in blood and urine at the initial examination
• Patient agreed to be contacted after the examination

Exclusion Criteria:

• Serious disease (incl. severe allergy to foodstuff and severe rheumatoid arthritis)
• Mental instability or psychiatric disease
• Cases with complicated dental rehabilitation (incl. bridge prostheses)
• Allergy to dental replacement materials
• Severe periodontitis
• High caries activity