Table 1.

Eligibility criteria and number of patients not included. Inclusion criteria were applied based on information from initial examination and Questionnaire 1. Exclusion criteria were applied in the treatment group and reserves, and were applied in relation to the pre-treatment examination in September 2000

Inclusion criteria	Numbers not fulfilling criterion†
Referred to the Norwegian Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit for examination of health complaints attributed to amalgam fillings	33
Amalgam fillings still present	79
No diagnosed contact allergy to substances in resin-based dental materials	54
Health complaints from at least three different organ systems	25
Data on mercury in blood and urine from initial examination	59
Age 25–55 at initial examination	10
Accepted to be contacted in a follow-up study	11

Exclusion criteria (treatment group and reserves)	Numbers excluded
Severe medical disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis, ALS, severe rheumatoid arthritis)	1
Severe food allergies	1
Psychological difficulties or psychiatric disorders that could influence the dental treatment	3
Complicated therapy (severe periodontitis, high caries activity and/or need for complicated dental rehabilitation – e.g. bridges)	4
Inclusion criteria no longer fulfilled	1‡

^†One hundred and fifty-seven patients did not fulfil one or more of the inclusion criteria.

^‡Completed removal of amalgam fillings since responding to Questionnaire 1.