DETOXSCAN Meets Dr. Arun Garg

 D E T O X S C A N   N E W S   S P E C I A L   R E P O R T 

New Frontiers in Dental Metals, Toxicity Screening & Pre-Procedure Risk Assessment

In a high-level virtual meeting that brought together leaders in diagnostic imaging, detox science, and dental implant innovation, the DETOXSCAN executive team—Dr. Robert L. Bard, Lennard Gettz, and researcher Daniel Root—held an exploratory session with internationally respected implant dentistry expert Dr. Arun Garg. Dr. Garg, one of the most recognized educators in dental implants worldwide, joined the discussion to assess the emerging role of heavy-metal screening tools—including the OligoScan, MELISA lab testing, and mercury vapor analysis—in the future of dental practice.

The meeting quickly established why Dr. Garg’s expertise is so essential. As he explained, dental implants are now among the most common metal-based procedures in medicine, far outpacing orthopedic titanium exposures. “There might be one person out of a thousand getting a titanium hip these days, but there might be one out of a hundred or one out of 10 getting a dental titanium implant,” he stated. This surge in implant volume—and the increasing visibility of patients reporting unexplained sensitivities—has created a new clinical need for pre-procedure assessment of potential metal reactions.

 

AMALGAMS: "LESS COMMON BUT STILL RELEVANT"

Dr. Garg began by clarifying the current landscape of dental amalgams. While the use of mercury-based fillings has sharply decreased in the United States, the legacy burden remains significant. “I’ve got old amalgam fillings in my mouth from years ago… and if there’s mercury being leached out, it’s still being leached out,” he noted. Even though composite materials have replaced amalgams in most modern practices, millions of patients continue to carry older restorations, making screening for metal-related toxicity relevant for both dental and medical providers.

Dr. Bard supported this point with clinical findings from his imaging practice, where he now identifies heavy metal signatures directly through tissue visualization. “We see all these things inside the tissues now… the face, the eyes, the salivary glands. We’re even doing thermal imaging of the mouth for inflammation of the teeth,” he added. His real-time diagnostic approach has become one of DETOXSCAN’s most important contributions to the clinical understanding of neurotoxicity and systemic inflammatory disorders.

 

TITANIUM IMPLANTS: UNDERSTANDING REJECTION, SENSITIVITY & EMERGING ALTERNATIVES

One of the most compelling parts of the meeting centered on titanium implant reactions. While rejection rates remain low, Dr. Garg emphasized that they are real and clinically observable. “There’s one patient out of 500… you put in five implants and the body just pushes them out within several months,” he said. “It’s not a classic allergic reaction… but the body’s clearly rejecting it.”

He also confirmed that titanium ion leakage is a documented phenomenon, even in implants that appear fully integrated. Although most levels are considered non-toxic, a subset of patients may experience biological responses that remain poorly understood.

As alternatives emerge—particularly zirconia implants—Dr. Garg explained that clinical adoption has been slow due to cost, technique sensitivity, and limited training. Zirconia implants show promise for select cases, especially when patients wish to avoid metal. However, their higher price and placement challenges make them better suited to patients who demonstrate metal sensitivities or elevated heavy-metal loads.

 

WHY PRE-PROCEDURE TESTING MATTERS: A NEW PARADIGM FOR IMPLANT DENTISTRY

The DETOXSCAN leadership presented the value of OligoScan spectrophotometry, which measures heavy metals and mineral imbalances non-invasively through the skin. Dr. Bard, who has personally validated the device through comparative testing, found its readings consistent with bloodwork and MELISA testing—an encouraging indicator of its diagnostic potential.

When asked whether such pre-procedure screening could be beneficial in implant dentistry, Dr. Garg offered one of the most significant quotes of the meeting: “Whether it becomes industry standard or not is up to many factors… but should it be another tool in the toolbox for doctors and patients who are interested? Absolutely.”

He elaborated further on the clinical utility: “How great would it be to say, ‘We’ve got some diagnostic tools we can check ahead of time,’ instead of putting it in and waiting for potential reactions? Then we can make a more informed decision on whether to proceed.” This statement marks a meaningful shift in how dentistry might incorporate personalized diagnostics—moving from a reactive model to proactive, pre-implant risk assessment.

 

MELISA, MERCURY VAPOR ANALYZERS & COMPLEMENTARY SCREENING TECHNOLOGIES

The group also discussed the MELISA blood test, which measures hypersensitivity reactions to metals such as mercury, titanium, nickel, and others. While MELISA has struggled to gain traction in the U.S., DETOXSCAN is actively working to improve access and shorten result turnaround times.

Additionally, the team presented mercury vapor analyzers, which detect mercury released from dental restorations. While Dr. Garg acknowledged their usefulness for amalgam-related concerns, he reinforced that skin-based measurements offer broader clinical insight, especially for patients with dietary mercury exposure (e.g., high fish consumption).

 

A BRIDGE TO FUTURE RESEARCH & COLLABORATIVE AWARENESS

Throughout the meeting, Dr. Garg’s openness to collaboration and scientific exploration was evident. He emphasized that while dentists must avoid alarmist messaging, they also benefit from

quantitative tools that help manage patient anxiety, educate patients, and support clinical decision-making.

One of his most strategically important observations came when discussing how dentists might adopt such tools: “For patients who are concerned, having a diagnostic tool is extremely helpful… instead of trying to talk them out of it, we can analyze numbers and make decisions together.”

This insight provides a roadmap for integrating heavy-metal screening into mainstream dental implant care—not as a mandated requirement, but as an option for informed, personalized treatment planning.

CONCLUSION: A TRANSFORMATIVE DIALOGUE FOR DENTISTRY AND DETOX SCIENCE

The meeting between DETOXSCAN and Dr. Arun Garg marks a pivotal moment in the convergence of dentistry, toxicology, and advanced diagnostics. With implant dentistry expanding globally, and with increasing public awareness of heavy-metal exposure, the opportunity for pre-procedure testing, research collaboration, and patient-centered risk assessment has never been greater.

As DETOXSCAN continues evaluating technologies like OligoScan, MELISA, and vapor analysis—and Dr. Garg brings decades of implant leadership—the partnership stands poised to redefine best practices in metal-based dentistry and preventive health.

This first meeting establishes not only shared goals but also a shared philosophy:
Science, clarity, and choice must be placed in the hands of patients and clinicians alike.

  E P I L O G U E 

Elevating the Standard: Building the Future of Implant Safety

By: Dr. Robert L. Bard

As a diagnostic imaging specialist who has spent decades studying tissue behavior, inflammatory response, and the effects of metals within the body, I found Dr. Arun Garg’s observations both validating and visionary. His candor and clarity reflect a deep understanding of the realities facing modern dentistry—particularly the rise of titanium dental implants and the evolving need for better pre-procedure insight.

Dr. Garg stated plainly that “one out of 500, or one out of a thousand patients will simply reject a titanium implant,” not because of surgical error, but because the body sees the metal as something it “doesn’t want.” For years, I have observed similar immune-driven responses throughout the body, visible through ultrasound, Doppler, thermal imaging, and elastography. 

Equally impactful was his stance that pre-procedure testing should become a “tool in the toolbox”—not a burden, not a mandate, but an option for patients who want clarity before committing to an implant. His openness to technologies like OligoScan, MELISA, and mercury vapor analysis shows the kind of leadership this field needs. As he put it: “How great would it be to say, ‘We’ve got diagnostic tools we can check ahead of time,’ instead of putting it in and waiting for potential reactions?” That single statement captures the entire mission of the DETOXSCAN initiative.

I applaud Dr. Garg’s recognition that zirconia implants, while not yet mainstream, may play an important role for patients with demonstrated sensitivities. His balanced and evidence-based approach—neither alarmist nor dismissive—sets a professional standard for how dentistry should evolve.

Most importantly, he emphasized that diagnostics empower both the dentist and the patient. Numbers reduce fear. Data creates partnership. Testing strengthens trust.

I echo Dr. Garg’s belief that dentistry is entering a new chapter—one that must integrate toxicology, imaging, and personalized assessment. Together, through collaborative research and a shared commitment to patient safety, we can raise the standards of care. It takes courage to challenge long-standing norms, and Dr. Garg exemplifies that courage. Our partnership will help build the next generation of safer, smarter, and more informed dental medicine.

 H E A L T H N E W S    E X T R A

WHAT IS OLIGOSCAN? The Emerging Role of Heavy Metal Screening in Radiology

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Environmental toxins and heavy metals represent one of the fastest-growing yet consistently under-recognized drivers of chronic disease. Mercury, arsenic, aluminum, lead, cadmium, gadolinium contrast agents, and airborne particulates from industrial and occupational exposures have all been linked to systemic inflammation, endocrine disruption, carcinogenesis, and autoimmune dysregulation.¹⁻³ Traditional laboratory testing for these exposures is slow, invasive, and often incomplete. Metals may deposit in tissues even when blood and urine tests appear normal, leaving clinicians with a blind spot between exposure and disease expression. Dr. Robert Bard emphasizes that modern environmental medicine requires faster screening, earlier suspicion, and imaging-based confirmation to change outcomes before irreversible pathology takes hold.

Performance Test:  OligoScan, a non-invasive spectrophotometric device that analyzes mineral balance and toxic metal burden through the skin in minutes, offers a promising first step in a two-tier diagnostic strategy: screen rapidly, then diagnose precisely. By pairing OligoScan’s instant biochemical snapshot with high-resolution ultrasound, 3D Doppler, and elastography, Dr. Bard proposes a more proactive paradigm for toxin-related disease: screen → confirm → map → monitor.

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SCANNING FOR "GOOD & BAD" ELEMENTS

OligoScan also measures ESSENTIAL MINERALS and trace elements such as Boron (B), Calcium (Ca), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Germanium (Ge), Iodine (I), Iron (Fe), Lithium (Li), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Selenium (Se), Silicon (Si), Sodium (Na), Sulfur (S), Vanadium (V), and Zinc (Zn). 

Meanwhile, clinicians also use OligoScan to test for a variety of toxic heavy metals:

Aluminum (Al)                  Antimony (Sb)            Thallium (Tl)              Mercury (Hg) 

Arsenic (As                        Barium (Ba)                Thorium (Th)             Nickel (Ni)

Beryllium (Be)                   Bismuth (Bi)                Silver (Ag)                Platinum (Pt) 

Cadmium (Cd)                   Lead (Pb)                          

         

                    

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DAY 1: OLIGOSCAN AS A SCREENING TOOL FOR METAL BURDEN AND MINERAL IMBALANCE

Dr. Bard identifies several clinical advantages that make OligoScan valuable as the front end of a diagnostic protocol:

·         Non-invasive and painless

·         Results in minutes instead of days or weeks

·         Ability to repeat frequently for monitoring

·         Simultaneous assessment of essential minerals and toxic metals

Unlike traditional tests, OligoScan distinguishes beneficial minerals—such as zinc, magnesium, selenium, copper, and iron—from toxic metals including mercury, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum, and lead.

This distinction is biologically critical. Mineral ratio imbalance contributes to oxidative stress, fibrosis, hepatic injury, immune dysregulation, and inflammatory skin disease, while toxic metals directly accumulate in soft tissue, endocrine organs, and microvascular beds.

Dr. Bard notes that exposure risk is especially elevated in:

·         First responders, who inhale, absorb, and ingest particulates from fires, wreckage, and combustion materials

·         Military personnel

·         Dental and surgical implant patients

·         Individuals with high fish intake (mercury)

·         Patients repeatedly exposed to gadolinium through MRI contrast

OligoScan’s speed allows clinicians to identify biochemical red flags and immediately decide where to look and what to image next. < See complete feature >

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