title: Patients give meaning to changes in health complaints before, during and after the replacement of amalgam restorations.
abstract: METHODS
  Qualitative, explorative and reflexive thematic analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out with 12 participants who had all taken part in a previous amalgam removal trial. Follow-up; three months and one, three and five years after amalgam restoration removal and replacement. Interviews were carried out by two researchers at a different location from clinical follow-up. Transcripts were analysed by reading through the written material to establish common themes. NVivo9 software was used to assist further organising themes. Themes were then refined and condensed into the presented findings, which included selected quotes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors found the following themes to be important to patients in giving meaning to health complaints before, during and after amalgam removal: Something is not working: betrayed by the body. You are out there on your own. Not being sure of the importance of amalgam removal. The relief experienced after amalgam is removed. To accept, to give up, or to continue the search.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For this group of patients, it was important to remove dental amalgam restorations. However, it remains uncertain of how critical this actually was in relation to their experienced changes in health complaints, as they did not feel that they could credit all positive change to the amalgam removal. For some participants it meant this was no longer a source of worry and for others it helped them move towards accepting their health status.
authors.affiliation: Dental School, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Levey
authors.affiliation: Dental School, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.affiliation: Dental School, University of Dundee, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Innes
mesh_terms: D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000009:adverse effects; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects; D055094:Evidence-Based Dentistry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D036301:Qualitative Research
chemical_list: D003723:Dental Amalgam