AQA Extended Project Qualification Graded A* 50/50 on Dental Technology
Answers the question: To What Extent Does Dental Amalgam Present a Higher Risk of Toxicity When Compared to Resin Based Restorations?
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To What Extent Does Dental Amalgam
Present a Higher Risk of Toxicity
When Compared to Resin Based
Restorations?
By
Phillip Baboolal
Candidate Number: 2023
Word Count: 5543
, CONTENTS
Abstract......................................................................................................................................... 1
Why I chose to explore the toxicity of restorations......................................................................
What is Dental Amalgam?............................................................................................................ 2
The History of Amalgam.......................................................................................................... 3
Evidence for the release of mercury from Dental Amalgam........................................................ 4
Populations vulnerable to toxic effects from Dental Amalgam.................................................... 6
Dental Staff...............................................................................................................................
Children.................................................................................................................................... 7
Pregnant Women...................................................................................................................... 8
The Environmental Effects of Dental Amalgam.......................................................................... 9
Alternative Restoration: Resin Composites.................................................................................
Evidence for the release of BPA from Composite Fillings..................................................... 10
How are Resin Composites Administered?............................................................................ 11
Conclusion................................................................................................................................... 12
Is Dental Amalgam more toxic than Composite Restorations?.............................................. 13
Bibliography................................................................................................................................ 14
, Name: Phillip Baboolal Candidate Number: 2023 Word Count: 5543
To What Extent Does Dental Amalgam Present a
Higher Risk of Toxicity When Compared to Resin
Based Restorations?
Phillip B. Baboolal
Tooth restoration is the most widely used form of dental treatment, it has been
regarded as a safe method to restore the anatomy of a tooth and treat diseases such
as dental caries by governmental agencies across the world. However, there have
been an overwhelming number of issues raised regarding general health,
environmental ethics and the toxicity of the neurotoxic substances that have been
proven to leach out these materials, such as mercury vapour in amalgam and BPA in
composite resins. Review of recent literature suggests that there are links between
the development of kidney dysfunction, neurodegenerative disorders such as
alzheimers and the consistent low-dose exposure of mercury vapour from amalgam.
Also, despite being biodegradable, the release of BPA from composite resins when in
contact with saliva and during the initial polymerisation reaction (in placement) has
shown to disrupt both the endocrine and reproductive systems in vivo. Even with this,
amalgam has been proven to be more toxic than composite resins purely due to
amalgam releasing a greater volume of substance. But with a changing ideology
within dentistry and an increased awareness of the dangers linked to these materials,
they can continue to be used interchangeably if correct procedures are followed.
Why I Chose to Explore The Toxicity of Restorations
Tooth decay, also known as dental caries, is the most common disease in children and
the main cause of tooth loss in adults. On average, adults between the ages 20 to 64
have 13.65 decayed surfaces in their oral cavity, with 92% of adults worldwide having
had caries on their permanent teeth at one point in their lives[1]. Luckily this non
communicable disease can be easily treated even after it has progressed beyond the
early stages by simply removing the caries and placing material to fill in the empty
space. The two materials I will be exploring are composite based resins and dental
amalgam as they both contain highly poisonous components whilst being the most
widely used fillings in modern dentistry. Despite the fact that they have been studied
thoroughly throughout history, there has been no clear conclusion to the noxious effect
of these two materials after long term exposure, with major limiting factors being lack
of experimental equipment that is able to monitor the progression of molecules
released by these materials within the human body, and research into the effects of
chronic exposure over a long period is simply difficulty to conduct; basing a conclusion
in light of the fact that these materials are known to be highly toxic in large quantities is
inaccurate and should be avoided as there are a overwhelming amount of factors that
1
(Nih.gov. (2018). Dental Caries (Tooth Decay) in Adults).
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