Biomaterial Database

Exposure to mercury vapor during setting, removing, and polishing amalgam restorations. 1990

Y Haikel, and P Gasser, and P Salek, and J C Voegel

INSERM U157, Université Louis Pasteur, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Strasbourg, France.

The level of mercury vapors in the oral cavity was determined by analyzing 242 samples of intra-oral air before and after removing, setting, and polishing dental amalgam. The analysis was effected using atomic absorption spectrometry in cold vapors with the detection limit of 6 micrograms/m3. A score of 1 to 3 was assigned to each restoration to adjust the differences of the amalgam sizes. The present study showed that the vapor was released during any procedure: removing, setting, and polishing amalgam. The mean levels were between 85 and 326 micrograms/m3. However, before the restorative procedures, no mercury vapors had been detected in the oral cavity. This investigation has also demonstrated a significant direct correlation between Hg vapor concentrations in intra-oral air and the sizes of amalgam restorations during each procedure: removing, setting, and polishing. The statistic analysis showed no significant difference of mercury vapors in the oral cavity between the use or nonuse of water coolant during the amalgam polishing.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008628	Mercury	A silver metallic element that exists as a liquid at room temperature. It has the atomic symbol Hg (from hydrargyrum, liquid silver), atomic number 80, and atomic weight 200.59. Mercury is used in many industrial applications and its salts have been employed therapeutically as purgatives, antisyphilitics, disinfectants, and astringents. It can be absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes which leads to MERCURY POISONING. Because of its toxicity, the clinical use of mercury and mercurials is diminishing.
D003723	Dental Amalgam	An alloy used in restorative dentistry that contains mercury, silver, tin, copper, and possibly zinc.	Amalgam, Dental,Amalgams, Dental,Dental Amalgams
D003775	Dental Polishing	Creation of a smooth and glossy surface finish on a denture or amalgam.	Dental Burnishing,Dental Finishing,Burnishing, Dental,Finishing, Dental,Polishing, Dental
D003793	Dental Restoration, Permanent	A restoration designed to remain in service for not less than 20 to 30 years, usually made of gold casting, cohesive gold, or amalgam. (Jablonski, Dictionary of Dentistry, 1992)	Dental Fillings, Permanent,Dental Filling, Permanent,Dental Permanent Filling,Dental Permanent Fillings,Dental Restorations, Permanent,Filling, Dental Permanent,Filling, Permanent Dental,Fillings, Dental Permanent,Fillings, Permanent Dental,Permanent Dental Filling,Permanent Dental Fillings,Permanent Dental Restoration,Permanent Dental Restorations,Permanent Filling, Dental,Permanent Fillings, Dental,Restoration, Permanent Dental,Restorations, Permanent Dental
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000388	Air	The mixture of gases present in the earth's atmosphere consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases.
D001672	Biocompatible Materials	Synthetic or natural materials, other than DRUGS, that are used to replace or repair any body TISSUES or bodily function.	Biomaterials,Bioartificial Materials,Hemocompatible Materials,Bioartificial Material,Biocompatible Material,Biomaterial,Hemocompatible Material,Material, Bioartificial,Material, Biocompatible,Material, Hemocompatible
D014835	Volatilization	A phase transition from liquid state to gas state, which is affected by Raoult's law. It can be accomplished by fractional distillation.	Vaporization,Volatility