Against Amalgam 1
- 2. Against Amalgam Amalgam Made of: Mercury mixed with silver, tin, zinc and copper. Mercury is nearly 50 percent of the mixture. Types: Traditional (non-bonded), bonded Used for: Fillings in back teeth Lasts: At least seven years, usually longer Costs: The least expensive type of restorative material
- 3. Against Amalgam Amalgam Disadvantages Amalgam doesn't match the color of your teeth. Healthy parts of your tooth must often be removed to make a space large enough to hold an amalgam filling. Amalgam fillings can corrode over time, causing discoloration where the filling meets the tooth. A traditional (non-bonded) amalgam filling does not bond to the tooth. It just sits in a pocket created by your dentist. Some people may be allergic to mercury or be concerned about its effects, although research shows the amount of mercury exposure from fillings is comparable to what people get from other sources in the environment.
- 4. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Mercury distributes to tissues around the body Maternal – fetal transfer of mercury Adverse physiological changes due to exposure to amalgam mercury Risk assessment Immune System Renal System Intestinal Flora Are we dentists harming ourselves? The unique neurotoxicity of mercury, and the Alzheimer’s connection Neurite growth inhibition on video
- 5. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Microscopic beads of liquid mercury expressed from the surface of amalgam metallurgical sample, following pressure from a microprobe. (from Masi, 1994) The smoking tooth.
- 6. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Mercury distributes to tissues around the body Tissue ng Hg/g Whole blood 9.0 Urine 4.7 Skeletal muscle (gluteus) 10.1 Fat (mesentery) 0.9 Cortical maxillary bone 3.6 Tooth alveolar bone 318.2 Gum mucosa 323.7 Mouth papilla 19.7 Tongue 13.0 Parotid gland 7.8 Ethmoturbinal (nasal) bone 10.7 Stomach 929.0 Small intestine 28.0 Large intestine 63.1 Colon 43.1 Bile 19.3 Feces 4489.3 Heart muscle (ventricle) 13.1 Lung 30.8 Tracheal lining 121.8 Kidney 7438.0 Liver 772.1 Spleen 48.3 Frontal cortex 18.9 Occipital cortex 3.5 Thalamus 14.9 Cerebrospinal fluid 2.3 Pituitary gland 44.4 Thyroid 44.2 Adrenal 37.8 Pancreas 45.7 Ovary 26.7
- 7. Against Amalgam The smoking tooth. Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Mercury distributes to tissues around the body
- 8. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Maternal – fetal transfer of mercury
- 9. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Adverse physiological changes due to exposure to amalgam mercury
- 10. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Risk assessment Avoid using mercury to restore children's teeth. Avoid placing or removing amalgam in the teeth of pregnant women. Avoid using dental amalgams in patients suffering from kidney ailments. Use methods and equipment to reduce the risks of exposure to mercury vapor to protect their patients and their staff. Avoid using amalgams in patients who risk suffering from allergic hypersensitivity (5 to 15% of the population). On the advice of a physician, remove amalgams from a patient who has become sensitive. Avoid placing amalgam in contact with other metal appliances in the mouth (orthodontic appliances, etc). Fully inform patients of the risks and benefits involved. Recognize the patient's right to refuse treatment using a “specific material.”
- 11. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Immune System
- 12. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Renal System
- 13. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury Are we dentists harming ourselves? The general population has a range of 0 – 5 μg Hg per liter of urine, while 10.9% of the dentists in this study had over 30 μg per liter, including 1.3% with over 100 μg per liter!
- 14. Against Amalgam Amalgam releases significant quantities of mercury The unique neurotoxicity of mercury Alzheimer’s connection Neurite growth inhibition on video I can´t remember if I already pass the Board 1!!!
- 15. Against Amalgam Symptom Reported Percentage of patients claiming substantial relief Allergy 89 % Anxiety 93 Bad temper 89 Bloating 88 Blood pressure problems 54 Chest pains 87 Depression 91 Dizziness 88 Fatigue 86 Gastrointestinal problems 83 Gum problems 94 Headaches 87 Migraine 87 Insomnia 78 Irregular heartbeat 87 Irritability 90 Lack of concentration 80 Lack of energy 97 Memory loss 73 Metallic taste 95 Multiple sclerosis 76 Muscle tremor 83 Nervousness 83 Numbness 82 Skin disturbances 81 Sore throat 86 Tachycardia 70 Thyroid problems 79 Oral ulcers 86 Urinary tract problems 76 Vision problems 63 The anecdotes
- 16. Against Amalgam Composite Resin Made of: A mixture of plastic and fine glass particles. Types: Direct or indirect Used for: Small and large fillings, especially in front teeth or the visible parts of teeth; inlays Lasts: At least five years
- 17. Against Amalgam Composite Resin Advantages Your fillings or inlay will be invisible. A resin can matches the color of your teeth. A filling can be completed during one dental visit. An inlay may require two visits. Composite fillings can bond directly to the tooth, making the tooth stronger than it would be with an amalgam filling. Less drilling is involved than with amalgam fillings because your dentist does not have to shape the space as much to hold the filling securely. The bonding process holds the composite resin in the tooth. Indirect composite fillings and inlays are heat-cured, increasing their strength. Composite resin can be combined with glass ionomer to provide the benefits of both materials.
- 18. Against Amalgam Esthetic VS
- 19. Against Amalgam Conclusion: Fillings which require the dentist to remove excessive amounts of good tooth structure are not cheap. Which is best?. Since the mid-80's a new system , called indirect composites combines the best of the composite and the strength of a natural tooth. This inlay process is much easier on the patient (and dentist) and has virtually eliminated the two major drawbacks to the composite restoration. Lab processed composites and porcelain fillings appear to have solved both the wear and placement problems. First in every concerned doctor's mind is the protection of the patient from additional exposure to mercury. This is especially true of the mercury toxic patient. The mercury toxic patient may have been exposed to varying amounts of mercury from diet, environment, employment or from mercury/silver dental fillings. All forms are cumulative and can contribute to the body burden. The goal of this preferred procedure is to minimize any additional exposure of the patient, ourselves, or staff to mercury
- 20. Against Amalgam As Hippocrates said, "First and foremost do no harm". I don't think he would have approved either toxic fillings or drilling away the good tooth.