Radiographic Applications in Forensic Dental Identification
Michael J. Thali M.D., Mark D. Viner, B. G. Brogdon in Brogdon's Forensic Radiology, 2010
The first category of materials is the most commonly seen materials in the mouth and are termed "fillings" in the sense that a cavity preparation is made via tooth and caries removal followed by filling the preparation with materials which even-tually harden. A silver or "amalgam" filling (Figure 10.12) is made from an amalgamation of silver with several other metals combined with mercury and is one of the most traditional and time-tested restorations used in dentistry. The amalgam may replace one tooth surface or it may include all five. The amalgam will be seen within the tooth radiographically and will be highly radiopaque. The other common filling material is composite resin which contains acrylic with various filler materials including glass ionomers. These restorations are commonly called "composites" and have been used traditionally in the anterior teeth for aesthetic reasons as these materials are made to match the tooth in color and texture. At one time, composites were cured chemically but now are cured by exposing the material to UV light. They will also be seen radiographically within the tooth, but may appear radiolucent in older restorations and slightly radiopaque in newer restorations. Since composites often match the tooth so well, that they are difficult to observe clinically but will fluoresce less that tooth enamel when exposed to a UV light source. A
The Role of Dentistry in Cardiovascular Health and General Well-Being
Stephen T. Sinatra, Mark C. Houston in Nutritional and Integrative Strategies in Cardiovascular Medicine, 2015
When amalgam fillings, which are an alloy of mercury and other metals, were first introduced into the United States in 1833, many dentists were outraged at the suggestion of placing such a highly toxic metal in their patients’ mouths. The amalgam filling is an alloy of mercury with copper, tin, zinc, and silver. Because mercury is the main component of an amalgam, representing about 50% of the alloy, it is more accurate to call these fillings “mercury fillings”; however, for marketing purposes, they came to be called, “silver fillings.” The controversy over the use of mercury in dental fillings continues to this very day, with the proponents saying there is no scientific evidence that mercury from fillings causes any harm. Today, everyone agrees that mercury does come out of the amalgam fillings. It comes off as a vapor (its most toxic form), which is easily absorbed. All the components of an amalgam filling are potentially toxic; however, mercury is by far the most toxic. Its effects are well documented. Mercury is mercury no matter where it comes from. Mercury causes psychological, neurological, immunological, endocrine, gastrointestinal, and oral disturbances.
Current Status and Role of Dental Polymeric Restorative Materials
Mary Anne S. Melo in Designing Bioactive Polymeric Materials for Restorative Dentistry, 2020
Amalgam, a traditional material of dental restorations, has been successfully used for over 150 years and is still the choice in some places of the world because of its effectiveness and low cost (Spencer 2000). Amalgam mainly consists of liquid mercury with an alloy made of silver, tin, copper, and zinc solid particles (Anusavice et al. 2013). When mixing, the mercury and the alloy toundergo an amalgamation reaction and gradually condense and harden, forming a silver-grey mass (Anusavice et al. 2013). Because the material’s color differs from a natural tooth’s color, as illustrated in Figure 2.1, amalgam is mostly used for permanent posterior restorations. In long-term clinical application, amalgam showed higher longevity compared to composites (Moraschini et al. 2015). This may be because amalgam has a potential antimicrobial effect by releasing toxic mercury and results in low viability of oral biofilms on its surfaces (Busscher et al. 2010). However, the release of mercury is also the primary concern preventing the use of amalgam. An increasing attention has been paid to the risk of mercury exposure from amalgam and the potential adverse effects (Reinhardt 1988).
Dental caries and risk of newly-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: a nationwide population-based cohort study
Published in Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2023
Wuu-Tsun Perng, Kevin Sheng-Kai Ma, Hsin-Yu Hung, Yi-Chieh Tsai, Jing-Yang Huang, Pei-Lun Liao, Yao-Min Hung, James Cheng-Chung Wei
In addition, amalgam has been widely used as restorative material for dental caries management18,19. Adverse effects of amalgam include clinically observed enhanced mercury levels in blood, urine20–25, and teeth25. Moreover, there is evidence that dental amalgam is associated with autoimmune diseases, such as SLE, autoimmune thyroiditis, or multiple sclerosis in vitro22,23. Although amalgam has been gradually replaced by composite resins for dental caries management, they are containing inorganic particles, such as silica26, and xenoestrogens, such as Bisphenol-A (BPA) 4, have also been shown to trigger SLE in cross-sectional27 and in vitro studies4,28. However, there is a lack of longitudinal studies confirming those hypotheses. Therefore, the purpose of this nationwide population-based cohort study was to evaluate the risk of SLE following dental caries and exposure to restorative materials.
Interaction between microorganisms and dental material surfaces: general concepts and research progress
Published in Journal of Oral Microbiology, 2023
Yan Tu, Huaying Ren, Yiwen He, Jiaqi Ying, Yadong Chen
Amalgam is a special type of alloy formed by mercury and one or more metals. The amalgam used for dental restorations has a long history. In 1896, G. V. Black of the United States carried out much research on improving the composition, properties, blending, and filling methods of silver amalgam, gradually making silver amalgam an ideal filling material. Orstavik et al. tested nine commercial dental amalgams for antibacterial properties in vitro and found that all displayed certain antibacterial properties [30]. The reason was that amalgam could release metal ions such as Ag, Cu, Sn, and Hg; therefore, it had certain antibacterial properties. Farrugia et al. found that amalgams had higher antimicrobial activity than adhesive materials [31]. However, now because of the toxic effect of mercury on the human body and its pollution potential, the rate of amalgam use in dentistry has decreased significantly. Combining the rigidity and antibacterial properties of metals to reduce toxicity has become the focus of scientific research. Silver-based biomaterials (AgBMs) have good antimicrobial properties, including penetrating microbial cell membranes, damaging genetic material, and causing bacterial protein and enzyme dysfunction. Research has shown that AgBMs are antibacterial materials with high efficiency and low toxicity [26].
Allergy to acrylate in composite in an orthodontic patient: a case report
Published in Journal of Orthodontics, 2018
Sophy K. Barber, Harmeet K. Dhaliwal
The increasing frequency of acrylate allergies has a potentially wider impact on dentistry. Concerns about the safety of amalgam as a dental material, combined with the Minamata Treaty 2013 commitment to reducing mercury in the environment, has increased pressure to seek alternative dental materials (British Dental Association 2017), many of which are acrylate-based. Adhesive bonding is central to minimally invasive restorative techniques. Cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics and laboratory-made prostheses are all heavily reliant on acrylate-containing materials. Biocompatibility issues with acrylates may present complications for treatment planning individual cases and with the provision of dental services as a whole.
Related Knowledge Centers
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