Contemplating Controversy

The use of dental Amalgam is becoming controversial due to its contents of mercury, its "semi-permanent" properties, and its known ability to dry, crack, or fracture teeth that it is filling.  Though these properties of Amalgam are known, it is still used as a primary filament for teeth by many dentists.  This is in part due to its semi-permanent properties which cause the Amalgam to fail after a number of years.  This failure requires replacement and thus the dentist makes more money.  Instead of using Amalgam, dentists should begin using only porcelain or gold inlays.  Dentists should be focusing on the patient's satisfaction rather than their own bank account...

by Russell Erickson, DDS, Portland, Oregon

THE USE OF DENTAL AMALGAM HAS BECOME CONTROVERSIAL IN DENTISTRY

Most people know that, but they remain unaware of the most important details.

The controversy revolves around mercury, and rightly so, as mercury is a major component of dental amalgam.

Early in my practice, my concerns about dental amalgam were raised after observing that the material is only semi-permanent.

It is clear that even excellently placed dental amalgam restorations (fillings) begin to show signs of failure after as little as 5-8 years. Most dental amalgam restorations definitely need to be replaced after 10-15 years due to material failure.  Now, why would any dental doctor want to provide a dental restoration that has “built in” material failure happening in as little as 5-8 years?  The material, in my opinion, desiccates (dries out) teeth making them more brittle and prone to cracks and fractures. Several times every month, I see patients who suffer from broken teeth that have dental amalgam restorations.

But the most important concern with dental amalgam is the mercury. 

WHAT IS DENTAL AMALGAM?

Silver	69.3%
Tin	17.9%
Copper	11.8%
Zinc	1%
Mercury Ratio	50%

Cited:

Erickson, Russell. "Dental Amalgam Controversy, by Dr. Russell Erickson." Dental Amalgam Controversy, by Dr. Russell Erickson. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. <http://www.lovetakestime.com/art-dentalamalgam.html>.

Tooth Tattoos

New technology developed at Princeton not only may be a new fad among tattoo enthusiasts, but it can detect tooth decay, gum disease, and even AIDS or stomach ulcers.  Though I myself would not want a tattoo on my tooth I'm sure there are people out there that would not be opposed.  These tattoos are another way in which dentists could protect teeth before they begin to decay, ultimately saving the patient time and money.  -

The tattoo, which was developed at Princeton University and Tufts University, contains a sensor that measures the bacteria levels in the mouth. The sensor is made of gold, graphite and silk.  After completing the bacteria measurement in the mouth, the sensors can determine when a patient is at risk for developing gum disease. The sensors may also have the ability to predict the risk for other diseases, which is a result of studying the data from the saliva. AIDS and stomach ulcers were two of the diseases the sensor was able to determine risk for.  The tooth tattoo hasn’t been tested on people yet, however, the trials on cow teeth have yielded promising results.

Cited:

"Tooth Tattoo May Curb Gum Disease." Tooth Tattoo May Curb Gum Disease. N.p., 9 Nov. 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. <http://www.dentistrytoday.com/todays-dental-news/8262-tooth-tattoo-may-curb-gum-disease>.