Changes in health over time in patients with symptoms allegedly caused by their dental restorative materials

Abstracts on this page have been chosen and edited by Dr Trevor Watts

Abstract

There was a subjective improvement in patients who had changed materials in all their restorations, but those with complex complaints became subjectively worse.

Main

Tillberg A, Berglund A et al. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2005; 33: 427–437

Though a few patients might experience an allergic response to amalgam components, there is no scientific evidence that mercury in amalgam restorations presents any significant health hazard. Despite this, there are patients who have had restorations replaced because they believe otherwise. Such patients have been found to differ psychologically from the general population.

At a Swedish dental school, 614 patients who had been examined over an 8 year period for alleged reactions to materials were sent a questionnaire, and 54% responded. Compared with a random sample of the Swedish population, these subjects had significantly worse levels of 23 specified symptoms. Of all subjects, 41% had all restorations replaced, 36% had some replaced, and 23% had no replacement. These 3 groups did not differ significantly in having complaints at follow-up, although the total replacement group had more changes than the other groups. However, those who had complained of both local and general symptoms were more likely to have worse symptoms (OR= 1.8; P=0.03) than the others.