Replacement Of Amalgam Fillings Research Articles

Analyzing Content and Quality of YouTube™ Videos on Removal of Amalgam Fillings

Objective. The objective of this study was to analyze the information quality and content of operational videos available on YouTube™ regarding amalgam fillings removal. Methods. Videos were determined using the words “Removal of amalgam fillings” and “Replacement of amalgam fillings” in the YouTube™ search section. 85 videos were included for analysis. Demographics of videos, viewers’ interactions, and viewing rates were evaluated. The videos were analyzed in two parameters in terms of Audio-visual quality and the SMART (Safe Mercury Amalgam Removal Technique) protocol steps. Results. It was determined that dentists accounts ranked first (62%) in the distribution of video sources. While only 19% of the videos were of “Excellent” audio-visual quality, 49% were rated as “Moderate” and 33% were rated as “Poor”. In the SMART evaluation, while only 10% of the videos got the “Maximal Useful” score, the majority of the videos got the “Slightly Useful” score (58%). There was no statistical relationship between the “View Rate” and “Interaction Index” variables of the videos (p> 0.05). Conclusions. Operational videos about the removal of dental amalgam fillings should be uploaded to YouTube™ after approval by the experts of the subject. Students should be warned about videos which contain insufficient information. Videos should be prepared in line with current information in the literature.

Flowable and Regular Bulk-Fill Composites: A Comprehensive Report on Restorative Treatment.

This article reports a comprehensive restorative treatment using bulk-fill composites and discusses their properties and clinical performance. A 20-year-old man sought dental treatment due to the dark shade of his smile and multiple old amalgam fillings. Based on clinical and radiographic findings, and the patient's demand for tooth-colored fillings, treatment comprised enamel microabrasion and in-office dental bleaching, followed by the replacement of amalgam fillings by bulk-fill composites. Bulk-fill composites exhibit modifications in the filler size and shape or in the chemistry of monomers that allow them to be applied in thicker layers (4 to 5 mm), creating opportunities for simpler, faster, and more-efficient clinical procedures, as seen in the present report.

The role of patch testing in the management of oral lichenoid reactions.

The distinction of oral lichenoid reactions from oral lichen planus may be difficult in a clinical setting. Our aims were to ascertain the utility of patch testing to confirm the association of oral lichenoid reactions with dental restorations and to identify the benefits of replacement of restorations, primarily made of amalgam. Patients seen in an oral medicine unit over a 10-year period diagnosed with oral lichenoid reactions, with oral lichen planus resistant to treatment or with atypical lichenoid features were included in this study. All had been subjected to skin patch testing. Histopathology reports blinded to patch test results were scrutinized. Patch-test-positive subjects were advised to have their restorations replaced. All were followed up to determine disease resolution for at least 3 months thereafter. Among 115 patients, 67.8% patients reacted positive to a dental material and nearly a quarter to mercury or amalgam. No correlation was found between pathology and skin patch testing results (P = 0.44). A total of 87 patients were followed up in clinic, and among 26 patch-test-positive patients who had their amalgam fillings replaced, moderate to complete resolution was noted in 81%. Skin patch testing is a valuable tool to confirm clinically suspected oral lichenoid reactions. Pathology diagnoses of oral lichenoid reactions did not correlate with patch test results. Prospective studies are needed to ascertain that a clinically suspected oral lichenoid reaction with a positive patch test result may resolve after the replacement of amalgam fillings.

Characterization of health complaints before and after removal of amalgam fillings — 3-year follow-up

Objective. Some patients attribute health complaints to amalgam fillings and report improvement of health after replacement of amalgam fillings. The aim of the present study was to characterize the changes of different health complaints after replacement of amalgam fillings and compare with an external reference group from the general population. Materials and methods. The study group included 20 patients with health complaints attributed to amalgam fillings who were participants in the treatment group of a clinical trial at the Norwegian Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit. The patients were asked to indicate the intensity of local and general health complaints on numeric rating scales (0–10) before removal of amalgam fillings and at follow-up 3 years after removal. Data from the patient group were compared with data from an external reference group (n = 441). Results. Before treatment the mean intensity of complaints were on a higher level in the treatment group compared to the reference group. The most frequently reported complaints in the treatment group were gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, pain from muscles and joints, symptoms from ear/nose/throat and difficulty concentrating. From pre-treatment examination to the 3-year follow-up 20 of 23 health complaints decreased, being statistically significant for taste disturbances, pain from muscles and joints, gastrointestinal complaints, complaints from ear/nose/throat and fatigue. Conclusions. The inter-individual variation of intensities of health complaints was considerable and the reduction of health complaints varied for the different complaints. Several factors may be of importance for the observed reduction of complaint intensity.

Lesão liquenóide oral relacionada ao amálgama

A lesão liquenóide oral relacionada ao amálgama, condição rara na prática odontológica, constitui importante diagnóstico diferencial no grupo das leucoplasias orais. Relatam-se dois casos que apresentaram rápida resolução clínica após a substituição das restaurações de amálgama.

Clinical study of patients with burning mouth.

Analysis and treatment of dental and medical factors that can cause burning mouth were performed in 25 consecutive patients according to a treatment protocol. The effect of the dental and medical treatment on the burning mouth was evaluated. The sick leave profile was presented. Apart from burning mouth symptoms, the patients reported several oral and general symptoms, such as gustatory changes, xerostomia, back and joint muscle pain, headache, and dizziness. The most common dental diagnoses were temporomandibular joint, masticatory, and tongue muscle dysfunction and lesions in the oral mucosa. The most common medical diagnoses were low serum iron and hypersensitive reaction to mercury. None of the patients tested exceeded the limit of 100 nmol Hg/l urine. Replacement of amalgam fillings was the most common dental therapy, followed by treatment of dysfunction in the masticatory system. Iron replacement was the most frequent medical treatment. The patients had over 50% more days per year sick leave than an age- and sex-matched normal population. A follow-up found that the burning mouth had disappeared in 32% of the patients. This study confirms the opinion that burning mouth is multicausal. Hypersensitive reaction to mercury was more frequent than expected, but replacement of amalgam fillings relieved burning mouth in only two of five such patients, and one of these two patients had hypersensitive reactions to both mercury and gold. One reason that so many patients continued to have burning mouth might have been neglect of dental, medical, or both diagnoses. Another reason might be that assessment of the psychologic status of the patients and psychologic treatment when indicated were not done.