Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
4, 2009
Copyright C 2009 Heldref Publications
Mercury, Copper, and Zinc
Concentrations in Extracted Human
Teeth
Rita de C assia Villar Brigato; Liovando Marciano Costa, PhD; Marcelo Rocha da
Costa, MD; Neuza Maria Souza Picorelli Assis, DDS; Claudio Hideki Kubo, DDS
ABSTRACT. Amalgam has been used as a lling material for over 150 years. Mercury, copper, and
zinc are present in restoration. The aim of this study was to compare mercury, copper, and zinc
concentrations in extracted human teeth with amalgam restorations and teeth without restorations.
Thirty-two teeth, 15 restored with dental amalgam and 17 without restorations, were chemically
analyzed in an Optima 3300 DV (Perkin Elmer) plasma emission spectrometer. Mercury, copper,
and zinc were found in human teeth regardless of the presence of amalgam restorations. The highest
mercury concentrations were found in the coronary portions of the teeth with amalgam restorations.
Copper concentrations were very high. Zinc concentrations in the teeth without restoration were
lower than those seen in the coronary portion of the teeth with restorations.
KEYWORDS: contamination, heavy metals, human teeth
S
ome heavy metals, such as cadmium (Cd), mercury
(Hg), and lead (Pb), have been linked to human in-
fertility.
1
Other metals, such as copper (Cu) and zinc
(Zn), necessary for human homeostasis, are supplied by the
daily diet.
Although amalgam has been used as a lling material
for over 150 years, one of its components, mercury, a heavy
metal, has long been known for its human toxicity. According
to the World Health Organization,
2
mercury vapor released
from dental amalgams is the greatest source of human ex-
posure to mercury, followed by air, sh, ordinary food, and
drinking water.
Mercury vapors may cause acute intoxication character-
ized by weakness, metallic taste, nausea, vomiting, diar-
rhea, dyspnea, and coughing. Chronic exposure produces
a neurasthenic syndrome along with goiter, gingivitis, and
excessive salivation.
3
Small amounts of mercury found in
Rita de C assia Villar Brigato and Neuza Maria Souza Picorelli Assis are with the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Restorative
Dentistry, Juiz de Fora, Brazil. Liovando Marciano Costa is with the Universidade Federal de Vicosa, Solos, Vicosa, Brazil. Marcelo Rocha
da Costa is a Family Doctor of Vicosa Municipality, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Claudio Hideki Kubo is with the S ao Paulo State University,
Restorative Dentistry, S ao Jos e dos Campos, Brazil.
several areas of the dental pulp of rats exposed to mercury
vapor.
4
Copper is found in all human tissues and it is an impor-
tant catalyst of hemoglobin synthesis. Because it favors the
connection of collagen bers and bone formation, copper is
important in tissue sustentation.
5
High-copper-content amal-
gam alloys have become the favorite restoration material be-
cause of their improved mechanical properties and corrosion
behavior, and better marginal sealing, as found in clinical
trials comparing them with traditional low-copper-content
alloys.
6
Microscopically moderate to severe pulp reactions
were nd in most hematoxylin-eosinstained monkey teeth
exposed to copper amalgam.
7
In an in vitro study of decidu-
ous teeth, obliteration of the dentine tubules with reduction
of dentin permeability due to copper irritation of the dental
pulp was observed. In vitro studies blame copper release from
restorations for the cytotoxic effect of the copper amalgam.
8
266 Archives of Environmental & Occupational Health
Zinc in amalgam alloys has a main role as an antioxidant,
binding oxygen and reducing oxide formation. Nevertheless,
zinc may lead to abnormal amalgam expansion if the latter
is condensed in the presence of humidity.
9
Nowadays, amalgam alloy is still often used and heavy
metals are present in the restorations. Therefore, we aimed
to compare mercury, copper, and zinc concentrations in ex-
tracted human teeth with amalgam restorations and teeth
without restorations.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Thirty-two human teeth (26 molars, 3 premolars, 2 in-
cisors, and 1 cuspid) extracted for several reasons were ob-
tained from 24 patients of the Surgical Clinic of the Dental
School of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Mi-
nas Gerais, Brazil. Fifteen teeth were lled with amalgam
restorations and 17 teeth without restorations. The research
project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Uni-
versity Hospital (protocol 184023/2002, group III). The pa-
tients gave their written informed consent. Each patient was
interviewed specically about occupational history (areas of
metal prospection, light bulb industry, pharmaceutical in-
dustry, hospital or dental clinic sterilization services, dentist
assistant), bruxism, and sh intake (including quantity and
frequency). The patients underwent an oral examination and
had their odontograms obtained, including the number of
teeth with amalgam restorations and the number of missing
teeth.
The teeth were kept for 48 hours in metal-free individual
containers (lled with previously analyzed 10% formalin),
and then rinsed with deionized water, dried with paper towel,
and nally kept in individualized plastic bags sealed with
adhesive tape. The samples were individually described as to
the presence or absence of caries, presence and type (classes
I, II, V) of amalgam restoration, and presence of incisal or
occlusal wear. Restorations were removed with a number
06 spherical tungsten-carbide bur under high-speed rotation
with refrigeration. Any material protecting the dentine-pulp
complex was noted and then removed under refrigeration.
The teeth were cut with a double face diamond exible disk
(KG Sorensen reference 7020), mounted in microengine and
straight handpiece, without refrigeration. The coronary por-
tion of each tooth was longitudinally cut in 3 parts, a central
portion with 2 lateral ones being obtained (the latter corre-
sponding to the mesial and distal portions of the tooth). The
root was separated from the crown for further fragmentation
in a green-quartz pestle and mortar device.
Chemical analyses were done by the Soil Department,
Soil Chemistry Division, Federal University of Vicosa,
Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sample readings were obtained with an
Optima 3300 DV (inductively coupled plasma [ICP]; Perkin
Elmer) plasma emission espectrometer. All the glassware
used were initially kept in 2%hydrochloric acid for 24 hours,
then rinsed in distilled-deionized water, and dry-heated to
avoid contamination.
The material for analysis of each tooth consisted of 1
central and 1 lateral portions of the crown, and 2 random
portions of the root. The samples were divided into 4 groups:
group 1 (G1), coronal portion of the teeth with restorations;
group 2 (G2), radicular portion of the teeth with restora-
tion; group 3 (G3), coronal portion of the teeth without
restorations; and group 4 (G4), radicular portion of the teeth
without restoration.
The fragments were weighed (on aluminized paper) on a
Marte AL200Cscale, and put in labeled 75-mLtest tubes, to-
taling 128 samples, with 4 control tubes (to allow for sample
contamination). The fragments ranged from 0.200 to 0.600
g. Concentrations were calculated according to the mass of
each fragment.
Twenty milliliters of a 1:1 nitric acid solution (50% nitric
acid and 50% deionized water) were used to open each sam-
ple. The test tubes were put in a digestor block (40 tubes at
a time) at 150