Are Root Canals Dangerous?

Are Root Canals Safe?

Dr. Mercola recently posted on his website regarding the health risks he sees in root canals. Mind you, the emphasis isn’t on root canals themselves, because Dr. Mercola acknowledges that root canals save teeth. His concern is more with whole-body health. He cites the research of a 20th-Century dentist Dr. Weston Price (and more contemporary research as well) to show a strong correlation between root canals and a range of chronic, inflammatory diseases and cancers. More specifically, these diseases range from heart, kidney, joint, neurological and autoimmune diseases to breast cancer. The culprit in many cases is explained as toxins produced by bacteria entombed in the tooth and in the tissues surrounding the tooth. These toxins can then inhibit and sometimes “short-circuit” the immune system, resulting in either too much, not enough, or mis-applied inflammation.

The Crux: Disinfection

What? Bacteria entombed in the tooth?

Dentinal Tubules

Dentinal Tubules

Dentists are taught to do root canals by soaking the canals in good ol’e fashioned bleach. The idea is that this disinfects the tooth, so that even though it’s “dead” (no blood supply nor nerves inside it), it’s not technically decayed anymore. Mainstream dentistry teaches that once the tooth’s disinfected it can be filled with a sealing material and then crowned for strength. The critique from the other side of the fence has to do with the structure of the tooth and fluid dynamics. The argument goes like this: Teeth frequently have extra “tributary” and connecting channels that run between and off of the main canals. It’s difficult to fully clean all the infected tissue from these auxilliary canals simply because they can’t be reached with an instrument. Similarly, Dentin — the stuff to be disinfected — is extremely porous with little tubules running from inside to outside, with connections between tubles too (envision a cross-section of pine under a microscope). Critics ask: When these canals and microtubles are already filled with fluid, how can disinfectant fully penetrate them all the way out to the cementum? And even if you do fully disinfect the tooth, how can those tubules stay disinfected given that some of them end above the gums and that there are connections between them?

The Other Side: But It’s My Tooth!

The American Dental Association and a great many endodontic organizations maintain that root canals are successful– and millions of asymptomatic teeth are the evidence. And when you have a dentist telling you that it’s either a root canal or an extraction, the evidence for root canals sounds pretty darn good.

And there are many situations in which disinfection seems more likely: not all infected teeth are “dirty” all the way out the end of the root. If the decay is already into the pulp but barely so, the immune system may have prevented the infection from even getting down into the canals. In these situations a root canal or other even more conservative options seem to serve both sides of the issue.

Other Root Canal Treatment Options

If you’d rather not have a root canal, there are alternatives. After extraction, you can:

1: restore the tooth with an implant
2: restore the tooth with a bridge
3: restore the tooth with a removable tooth (a denture)
or
4: leave the tooth unrestored. Sometimes this can affect your bite if teeth move afterward.

Implants can be made of titanium or zirconium. There are pros and cons to each. Traditional dentistry tends to favor titanium because of its longer track record and familiarity. It also has a very low percentage of patients being sensitive to it. In some cases, zirconium can darken the gums in esthetic areas. Also, some critics of titanium don’t like the idea of any metal in the mouth. If increased esthetics or non-metallic implants are your preference, zirconium implants may be your preferred option.

Zirconium implants are newer (recently FDA approved but with a longer track record in Europe), highly esthetic (they’re white like a tooth), and hold great promise for those who prefer a metal-free mouth. The cons (compared to titanium): During the healing period after placement, zirconium implants require more protection in the mouth that titanium implants do. They’re also more brittle than titanium, requiring them to be “one-piece: a monolithic implant which the crown is placed directly on. Titanium implants, on the other hand, can accept all kinds of fittings and hardware due to their internal threads. However, plenty of clincial evidence shows that once they’re properly-protected during healing, one-piece zirconium implants do work and work well.

A bridge restores the tooth by attaching the crown to crowns on the two adjacent teeth. This option was considered the standard of care before implants. Its disadvantages are that it is less conservative for the adjacent teeth, that cleaning is more difficult (you have to clean under the bridge), and that if the bridge gets decay under it, the entire bridge needs to be replaced. Its advantages are that it’s non-surgical and that initially it costs a little less than an implant restoration.

A removable tooth (denture) is a plastic or metal-and-plastic replacement for one or more teeth. These are less expensive but also much less functional than an implant or bridge.

In the End

Whether you decide on a root canal, an implant, a bridge or a denture, it’s a decision that only you can make the decision on restoring your infected tooth.

Here is Dr. Mercola’s Report.  You can also view it in full on his website.

Do you have a chronic degenerative disease?  If so, have you been told, “It’s all in your head?”

Well, that might not be that far from the truth… the root cause of your illness may be in your mouth.

There is a common dental procedure that nearly every dentist will tell you is completely safe, despite the fact that scientists have been warning of its dangers for more than 100 years.

Every day in the United States alone, 41,000 of these dental procedures are performed on patients who believe they are safely and permanently fixing their problem.

What is this dental procedure?

The root canal.

More than 25 million root canals are performed every year in this country.

Root-canaled teeth are essentially “dead” teeth that can become silent incubators for highly toxic anaerobic bacteria that can, under certain conditions, make their way into your bloodstream to cause a number of serious medical conditions—many not appearing until decades later.

Most of these toxic teeth feel and look fine for many years, which make their role in systemic disease even harder to trace back.

Sadly, the vast majority of dentists are oblivious to the serious potential health risks they are exposing their patients to, risks that persist for the rest of their patients’ lives.The American Dental Association claims root canals have been proven safe, but they have NO published data or actual research to substantiate this claim.

Fortunately, I had some early mentors like Dr. Tom Stone and Dr. Douglas Cook, who educated me on this issue nearly 20 years ago. Were it not for a brilliant pioneering dentist who, more than a century ago, made the connection between root-canaled teeth and disease, this underlying cause of disease may have remained hidden to this day. The dentist’s name was Weston Price—regarded by many as the greatest dentist of all time.

Weston A. Price: World’s Greatest Dentist

Most dentists would be doing an enormous service to public health if they familiarized themselves with the work of Dr. Weston Pricei. Unfortunately, his work continues to be discounted and suppressed by medical and dental professionals alike.

Dr. Price was a dentist and researcher who traveled the world to study the teeth, bones, and diets of native populations living without the “benefit” of modern food. Around the year 1900, Price had been treating persistent root canal infections and became suspicious that root-canaled teeth always remained infected, in spite of treatments. Then one day, he recommended to a woman, wheelchair bound for six years, to have her root canal tooth extracted, even though it appeared to be fine.

She agreed, so he extracted her tooth and then implanted it under the skin of a rabbit. The rabbit amazingly developed the same crippling arthritis as the woman and died from the infection 10 days later. But the woman, now free of the toxic tooth, immediately recovered from her arthritis and could now walk without even the assistance of a cane.

Price discovered that it’s mechanically impossible to sterilize a root-canaled (e.g. root-filled) tooth.

He then went on to show that many chronic degenerative diseases originate from root-filled teeth—the most frequent being heart and circulatory diseases. He actually found 16 different causative bacterial agents for these conditions. But there were also strong correlations between root-filled teeth and diseases of the joints, brain and nervous system. Dr. Price went on to write two groundbreaking books in 1922 detailing his research into the link between dental pathology and chronic illness. Unfortunately, his work was deliberately buried for 70 years, until finally one endodontist named George Meinig recognized the importance of Price’s work and sought to expose the truth.

Dr. Meinig Advances the Work of Dr. Price

Dr. Meinig, a native of Chicago, was a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II before moving to Hollywood to become a dentist for the stars. He eventually became one of the founding members of the American Association of Endodontists (root canal specialists).

In the 1990s, he spent 18 months immersed in Dr. Price’s research. In June of 1993, Dr. Meinig published the book Root Canal Cover-Up, which continues to be the most comprehensive reference on this topic today. You can order your copy directly from the Price-Pottenger Foundationii.

What Dentists Don’t Know About the Anatomy of Your Teeth

Your teeth are made of the hardest substances in your body.

In the middle of each tooth is the pulp chamber, a soft living inner structure that houses blood vessels and nerves. Surrounding the pulp chamber is the dentin, which is made of living cells that secrete a hard mineral substance. The outermost and hardest layer of your tooth is the white enamel, which encases the dentin.

The roots of each tooth descend into your jawbone and are held in place by the periodontal ligament. In dental school, dentists are taught that each tooth has one to four major canals. However, there are accessory canals that are never mentioned. Literally miles of them!

Just as your body has large blood vessels that branch down into very small capillaries, each of your teeth has a maze of very tiny tubules that, if stretched out, would extend for three miles. Weston Price identified as many as 75 separate accessory canals in a single central incisor (front tooth). For a more detailed explanation, refer to an article by Hal Huggins, DDS, MS, on the Weston A. Price Foundation website.iii(These images are borrowed from the Huggins article.)

Microscopic organisms regularly move in and around these tubules, like gophers in underground tunnels.

When a dentist performs a root canal, he or she hollows out the tooth, then fills the hollow chamber with a substance (called guttapercha), which cuts off the tooth from its blood supply, so fluid can no longer circulate through the tooth. But the maze of tiny tubules remains. And bacteria, cut off from their food supply, hide out in these tunnels where they are remarkably safe from antibiotics and your own body’s immune defenses.

The Root Cause of Much Disease

Under the stresses of oxygen and nutrient deprivation, these formerly friendly organisms morph into stronger, more virulent anaerobes that produce a variety of potent toxins. What were once ordinary, friendly oral bacteria mutate into highly toxic pathogens lurking in the tubules of the dead tooth, just awaiting an opportunity to spread.

No amount of sterilization has been found effective in reaching these tubules—and just about every single root-canaled tooth has been found colonized by these bacteria, especially around the apex and in the periodontal ligament. Oftentimes, the infection extends down into the jawbone where it creates cavitations—areas of necrotic tissue in the jawbone itself.

Cavitations are areas of unhealed bone, often accompanied by pockets of infected tissue and gangrene. Sometimes they form after a tooth extraction (such as a wisdom tooth extraction), but they can also follow a root canal. According to Weston Price Foundation, in the records of 5,000 surgical cavitation cleanings, only two were found healed.

And all of this occurs with few, if any, accompanying symptoms. So you may have an abscessed dead tooth and not know it.  This focal infection in the immediate area of the root-canaled tooth is bad enough, but the damage doesn’t stop there.

Root Canals Can Lead to Heart, Kidney, Bone, and Brain Disease

As long as your immune system remains strong, any bacteria that stray away from the infected tooth are captured and destroyed. But once your immune system is weakened by something like an accident or illness or other trauma, your immune system may be unable to keep the infection in check.

These bacteria can migrate out into surrounding tissues by hitching a ride into your blood stream, where they are transported to new locations to set up camp. The new location can be any organ or gland or tissue.

Dr. Price was able to transfer diseases harbored by humans to rabbits, by implanting fragments of root-canaled teeth, as mentioned above. He found that root canal fragments from a person who had suffered a heart attack, when implanted into a rabbit, would cause a heart attack in the rabbit within a few weeks.

He discovered he could transfer heart disease to the rabbit 100 percent of the time! Other diseases were more than 80 percent transferable by this method. Nearly every chronic degenerative disease has been linked with root canals, including:

  • Heart disease
  • Kidney disease
  • Arthritis, joint, and rheumatic diseases
  • Neurological diseases (including ALS and MS)
  • Autoimmune diseases (Lupus and more)

There may also be a cancer connection. Dr. Robert Jones, a researcher of therelationship between root canals and breast cancer, found an extremely high correlation between root canals and breast cancer.iv He claims to have found the following correlations in a five-year study of 300 breast cancer cases:

  • 93 percent of women with breast cancer had root canals
  • 7 percent had other oral pathology
  • Tumors, in the majority of cases, occurred on the same side of the body as the root canal(s) or other oral pathology

Dr. Jones claims that toxins from the bacteria in an infected tooth or jawbone are able to inhibit the proteins that suppress tumor development. A German physician reported similar findings. Dr. Josef Issels reported that, in his 40 years of treating “terminal” cancer patients, 97 percent of his cancer patients had root canals.  If these physicians are correct, the cure for cancer may be as simple as having a tooth pulled, then rebuilding your immune system.

Good Bugs Gone Bad

How are these mutant oral bacteria connected with heart disease or arthritis?  The ADA and the AAE claim it’s a “myth” that the bacteria found in and around root-canaled teeth can cause diseasev. But they base that on the misguided assumption that the bacteria in these diseased teeth are the SAME as normal bacteria in your mouth—and that’s clearly not the case.

Today, bacteria can be identified using DNA analysis, whether they’re dead or alive, from their telltale DNA signatures.

In a continuation of Dr. Price’s work, the Toxic Element Research Foundation (TERF) used DNA analysis to examine root-canaled teeth, and they found bacterial contamination in 100 percent of the samples tested. They identified 42 different species of anaerobic bacteria in 43 root canal samples. In cavitations, 67 different bacteria were identified among the 85 samples tested, with individual samples housing between 19 to 53 types of bacteria each. The bacteria they found included the following types:

  • Capnocytophagaochraceavi
  • Fusobacteriumnucleatumvii
  • Gemellamorbillorum viii
  • Leptotrichiabuccalis
  • Porphyromonasgingivalis ix

Are these just benign, ordinary mouth bugs? Absolutely not. Four can affect your heart, three can affect your nerves, two can affect your kidneys, two can affect your brain, and one can infect your sinus cavities… so they are anything BUT friendly! (If you want see just how unfriendly they can be, I invite you to investigate the footnotes.)

Approximately 400 percent more bacteria were found in the blood surrounding the root canal tooth than were found in the tooth itself, suggesting the tooth is the incubatorand the periodontal ligament is the food supply. The bone surrounding root-canaled teeth was found even HIGHER in bacterial count… not surprising, since bone is virtual buffet of bacterial nutrients.

Since When is Leaving A Dead Body Part IN Your Body a Good Idea?

There is no other medical procedure that involves allowing a dead body part to remain in your body. When your appendix dies, it’s removed. If you get frostbite or gangrene on a finger or toe, it is amputated. If a baby dies in utero, the body typically initiates a miscarriage.

Your immune system doesn’t care for dead substances, and just the presence of dead tissue can cause your system to launch an attack, which is another reason to avoid root canals—they leave behind a dead tooth.

Infection, plus the autoimmune rejection reaction, causes more bacteria to collect around the dead tissue. In the case of a root canal, bacteria are given the opportunity to flush into your blood stream every time you bite down.

Why Dentists Cling to the Belief Root Canals are Safe

The ADA rejects Dr. Price’s evidence, claiming root canals are safe, yet they offer no published data or actual research to substantiate their claim. American Heart Association recommends a dose of antibiotics before many routine dental procedures to prevent infective endocarditis (IE) if you have certain heart conditions that predispose you to this type of infection.

So, on the one hand, the ADA acknowledges oral bacteria can make their way from your mouth to your heart and cause a life-threatening infection.

But at the same time, the industry vehemently denies any possibility that these same bacteria—toxic strains KNOWN to be pathogenic to humans—can hide out in your dead root-canaled tooth to be released into your blood stream every time you chew, where they can damage your health in a multitude of ways.

Is this really that large of a leap? Could there be another reason so many dentists, as well as the ADA and the AAE, refuse to admit root canals are dangerous? Well, yes, as a matter of fact, there is. Root canals are the most profitable procedure in dentistry.x

What You Need to Know to AVOID a Root Canal

I strongly recommend never getting a root canal. Risking your health to preserve a tooth simply doesn’t make sense. Unfortunately, there are many people who’ve already have one. If you have, you should seriously consider having the tooth removed, even if it looks and feels fine. Remember, as soon as your immune system is compromised, your risk of of developing a serious medical problem increases—and assaults on your immune system are far too frequent in today’s world.

If you have a tooth removed, there are a few options available to you.

  1. Partial denture: This is a removable denture, often just called a “partial.” It’s the simplest and least expensive option.
  2. Bridge: This is a more permanent fixture resembling a real tooth but is a bit more involved and expensive to build.
  3. Implant: This is a permanent artificial tooth, typically titanium, implanted in your gums and jaw. There are some problems with these due to reactions to the metals used. Zirconium is a newer implant material that shows promise for fewer complications.

But just pulling the tooth and inserting some sort of artificial replacement isn’t enough.

Dentists are taught to remove the tooth but leave your periodontal ligament. But as you now know, this ligament can serve as a breeding ground for deadly bacteria. Most experts who’ve studied this recommend removing the ligament, along with one millimeter of the bony socket, in order to drastically reduce your risk of developing an infection from the bacterially infected tissues left behind.

I strongly recommend consulting a biological dentist because they are uniquely trained to do these extractions properly and safely, as well as being adept at removing mercury fillings, if necessary. Their approach to dental care is far more holistic and considers the impact on your entire body—not JUST your mouth.

If you need to find a biological dentist in your area, I recommend visiting toxicteeth.orgxi, a resource sponsored by Consumers for Dental Choice. This organization, championed by Charlie Brown, is a highly reputable organization that has fought to protect and educate consumers so that they can make better-informed decisions about their dental care. The organization also heads up the Campaign for Mercury-Free Dentistry.

California Dental Materials Fact Sheet

This California Dental Materials Fact Sheet is provided by the CDA and is required in California to be made available to all new patients and to existing patients once before treatment. Please cross reference the statements made in the CA fact sheet about the World Health Organizations possition on dental mercury with the World Health Organization’s current publication.

California State Dental Materials Fact Sheet pdf

Dental Materials Fact Sheet

What About the Safety of Filling Materials?

Patient health and the safety of dental treatments are the primary goals of California’s dental professionals and the Dental Board of California. The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide you with information concerning the risks and benefits of all the dental materials used in the restoration (filling) of teeth.
The Dental Board of California is required by law* to make this dental materials fact sheet available to every licensed dentist in the state of California. Your dentist, in turn, must provide this fact sheet to every new patient and all patients of record only once before beginning any dental filling procedure. As the patient or parent/guardian, you are strongly encouraged to discuss with your dentist the facts presented concerning the filling materials being considered for your particular treatment.
* Business and Professions Code 1648.10-1648.20

Allergic Reactions to Dental Materials

Components in dental fillings may have side effects or cause allergic reactions, just like other materials we may come in contact with in our daily lives. The risks of such reactions are very low for all types of filling materials. Such reactions can be caused by specific components of the filling materials such as mercury, nickel, chromium, and/or beryllium alloys. Usually, an allergy will reveal itself as a skin rash and is easily reversed when the individual is not in contact with the material. There are no documented cases of allergic reactions to compos­ite resin, glass ionomer, resin ionomer, or porcelain. However, there have been rare allergic responses reported with dental amalgam, porcelain fused to metal, gold alloys, and nickel or cobalt-chrome alloys. If you suffer from allergies, discuss these potential problems with your dentist before a filling material is chosen.

Toxicity of Dental Materials

Dental Amalgam

Mercury in its elemental form is on the State of California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the state to cause reproductive toxicity. Mercury may harm the developing brain of a child or fetus. Dental amalgam is created by mixing elemental mercury (43­-54%) and an alloy powder (46-57%) composed mainly of silver, tin, and copper. This has caused discussion about the risks of mercury in dental amalgam. Such mercury is emitted in minute amounts as vapor. Some concerns have been raised regarding possible toxicity. Scientific research continues on the safety of dental amalgam. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is scant evidence that the health of the vast majority of people with amalgam is compromised. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other public health organizations have investigated the safety of amalgam used in dental fillings. The conclusion: no valid scientific evi­dence has shown that amalgams cause harm to patients with dental restorations, except in rare cases of allergy. The World Health Organization reached a similar conclusion stating, “Amal­gam restorations are safe and cost effective.” A diversity of opinions exists regarding the safety of dental amalgams. Questions have been raised about its safety in preg­nant women, children, and diabetics. However, scientific evi­dence and research literature in peer-reviewed scientific journals suggest that otherwise healthy women, children, and diabetics are not at an increased risk from dental amalgams in their mouths. The FDA places no restrictions on the use of dental amalgam.

Composite Resin

Some Composite Resins include Crystalline Silica, which is on the State of California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer.

It is always a good idea to discuss any dental treatment
thoroughly with your dentist.

Dental Materials – Advantages & Disadvantages

DENTAL AMALGAM FILLINGS

Dental amalgam is a self-hardening mixture of silver-tin-copper alloy
powder and liquid mercury and is sometimes referred to as silver
fillings because of its color. It is often used as a filling material and replacement for broken teeth.

Advantages 
❤ Durable; long lasting
❤ Wears well; holds up well to the forces of biting
❤ Relatively inexpensive
❤ Generally completed in one visit
❤ Self-sealing; minimal-to-no shrinkage and resists leakage
❤ Resistance to further decay is high, but can be difficult to find in early stages
❤ Frequency of repair and replacement is low

Disadvantages

• Refer to “What About the Safety of Filling Materials”
• Gray colored, not tooth colored
• May darken as it corrodes; may stain teeth over time
• Requires removal of some healthy tooth
• In larger amalgam fillings, the remaining tooth may weaken and fracture
• Because metal can conduct hot and cold temperatures, there may be a temporary sensitivity to hot and cold.
• Contact with other metals may cause occasional, minute electrical flow

COMPOSITE RESIN FILLINGS

Composite fillings are a mixture of powdered glass and plastic resin, sometimes referred to as white, plastic, or tooth-colored fillings. It is used for fillings, inlays, veneers, partial and complete crowns, or to replacement for broken teeth.

Advantages
❤ Strong and durable
❤ Tooth colored
❤ Single visit for fillings
❤ Resists breaking
❤ Maximum amount of tooth preserved
❤ Small risk of leakage if bonded only to enamel
❤ Does not corrode
❤ Generally holds up well to the forces of biting depending on product used
❤ Resistance to further decay is moderate and easy to find
❤ Frequency of repair or replacement is low to moderate

Disadvantages

• Refer to “What About the Safety of Filling Materials”
• Moderate occurrence of tooth sensitivity; sensitive to dentist’s method of applica­tion
• Costs more than dental amalgam
• Material shrinks when hardened and could lead to further decay and/or tempera­ture sensitivity
• Requires more than one visit for inlays, veneers, and crowns
• May wear faster than dental enamel
• May leak over time when bonded beneath the layer of enamel

GLASS IONOMER CEMENT

Glass ionomer cement is a selfhardening mixture of glass and organic acid. It is tooth-colored and varies in translucency. Glass ionomer is usually used for small fillings, cementing metal and porcelain/metal crowns, liners, and temporary restorations.

Advantages

❤ Reasonably good esthetics
❤ May provide some help against decay because it releases fluoride
❤ Minimal amount of tooth needs to be removed and it bonds well to both the enamel and the dentin beneath the enamel
❤ Material has low incidence of producing tooth sensitivity
❤ Usually completed in one dental visit

Disadvantages

• Cost is very similar to compos­ite resin (which costs more than amalgam)
• Limited use because it is not recommended for biting surfaces in permanent teeth
• As it ages, this material may become rough and could increase the accumulation of plaque and chance of periodon­tal disease
• Does not wear well; tends to crack over time and can be dislodged

RESIN-IONOMER CEMENT

Resin ionomer cement is a mixture of glass and resin polymer and organic acid that hardens with exposure to a blue light used in the dental office. It is tooth colored but more translucent than glass ionomer cement. It is most often used for small fillings, cementing metal and porcelain
metal crowns and liners.

Advantages

❤ Very good esthetics
❤ May provide some help against decay because it releases fluoride
❤ Minimal amount of tooth needs to be removed and it bonds well to both the enamel and the dentin beneath the enamel
❤ Good for non-biting surfaces
❤ May be used for short-term primary teeth restorations
❤ May hold up better than glass ionomer but not as well as composite
❤ Good resistance to leakage
❤ Material has low incidence of producing tooth sensitivity
❤ Usually completed in one dental visit
Disadvantages

• Cost is very similar to compos­ite resin (which costs more than amalgam)
• Limited use because it is not recommended to restore the biting surfaces of adults
• Wears faster than composite and amalgam

PORCELAIN (CERAMIC)

Porcelain is a glass-like material formed into fillings or crowns
using models of the prepared teeth. The material is toothcolored and is used in inlays, veneers, crowns and fixed bridges.

Advantages

❤ Very little tooth needs to be removed for use as a veneer; more tooth needs to be re­moved for a crown because its strength is related to its bulk  (size)
❤ Good resistance to further decay if the restoration fits well
❤ Is resistant to surface wear but can cause some wear on opposing teeth
❤ Resists leakage because it can be shaped for a very accurate fit
❤ The material does not cause tooth sensitivity
Disadvantages

• Material is brittle and can break under biting forces
• May not be recommended for molar teeth
• Higher cost because it requires at least two office visits and laboratory services

NICKEL OR COBALT­ CHROME ALLOYS

Nickel or cobalt-chrome alloys are mixtures of nickel and chromium. They are a dark silver metal color and are used for crowns and fixed bridges and most partial denture frameworks.

Advantages

❤ Good resistance to further decay if the restoration fits well
❤ Excellent durability; does not fracture under stress
❤ Does not corrode in the mouth
❤ Minimal amount of tooth needs to be removed
❤ Resists leakage because it can be shaped for a very accurate fit

Disadvantages

• Is not tooth colored; alloy is a dark silver metal color
• Conducts heat and cold; may irritate sensitive teeth
• Can be abrasive to opposing teeth
• High cost; requires at least two office visits and laboratory services
• Slightly higher wear to opposing teeth

PORCELAIN FUSED TO METAL

This type of porcelain is a glasslike material that is “enameled” on top of metal shells. It is toothcolored and is used for crowns and fixed bridges

Advantages

❤ Good resistance to further decay if the restoration fits well
❤ Very durable, due to metal substructure
❤ The material does not cause tooth sensitivity
❤ Resists leakage because it can be shaped for a very accurate fit

Disadvantages

• More tooth must be removed (than for porcelain) for the metal substructure
• Higher cost because it requires at least two office visits and laboratory services

GOLD ALLOY

Gold alloy is a gold-colored mixture of gold, copper, and other metals and is used mainly for crowns and fixed bridges and some partial denture frameworks
Advantages

❤ Good resistance to further decay if the restoration fits well
❤ Excellent durability; does not fracture under stress
❤ Does not corrode in the mouth
❤ Minimal amount of tooth needs to be removed
❤ Wears well; does not cause excessive wear to opposing teeth
❤ Resists leakage because it can be shaped for a very accurate fit

Disadvantages

• Is not tooth colored; alloy is yellow
• Conducts heat and cold; may irritate sensitive teeth
• High cost; requires at least two office visits and laboratory services

DENTAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
1432 Howe Avenue • Sacramento, California 95825
www.dbc.ca.gov
Published by
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS

World Health Organization “Future Use of Materials For Dental Restorations” 2011 pdf

dental_material_2011

The World Health Organization Dental Amalgam Review

The World Health Organization recommends a global phase out of dental mercury.   In the WHO’s  newly released  2009 report on “Future Use of Materials For Dental Restorations”.  This is a great article by Charlie Brown from Consumers for Dental Choice.  You can find a full view of the WHO Dental Materials report here.

10/2011

In a clear sign that dentistry’s amalgam era is fading, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) just released its long-awaited report on dental amalgam. In Future Use of Materials for Dental Restoration, WHO urges “a switch in use of dental materials” away from amalgam.

“[F]or many reasons,” WHO explains, “restorative materials alternative to dental amalgam are desirable.” The report describes three of these reasons in detail:

  • WHO determines that amalgam releases a “significant amount of mercury”: WHO concludes that amalgam poses a serious environmental health problem because amalgam releases a “significant amount of mercury” into the environment, including the atmosphere, surface water, groundwater, and soil. WHO says “When released from dental amalgam use into the environment through these pathways, mercury is transported globally and deposited. Mercury releases may then enter the human food chain especially via fish consumption.”
  • WHO determines that amalgam raises “general health concerns”: While the report acknowledges that a few dental trade groups still believe amalgam is safe for all, the WHO report reaches a very different conclusion: “Amalgam has been associated with general health concerns.” The report observes, “According to the Norwegian Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit, the majority of cases of side-effects of dental filling materials are linked with dental amalgam.”
  • WHO determines that “materials alternative to dental amalgam are available”: WHO concludes that “Materials alternative to dental amalgam are available” – and cites many studies indicating that they are superior to amalgam. For example, WHO says “recent data suggest that RBCs [resin-based composites] perform equally well” as amalgam. And compomers have a higher survival rate, says WHO, citing a study finding that 95% of compomers and 92% of amalgams survive after 4 years. Perhaps more important than the survival of the filling, WHO asserts that “Adhesive resin materials allow for less tooth destruction and, as a result, a longer survival of the tooth itself.”

We have come a long way. Less than a year ago, dental trade groups were circulating an unedited and unreviewed draft of this report to government officials, implying that it was WHO’s final position. But the draft was riddled with factual errors and scientifically unsupported claims. Consumers for Dental Choice – working with non-governmental organizations, scientists, and environmentalists from around the globe – organized a letter-writing campaign to insist that the draft be immediately withdrawn, accurately rewritten, and properly reviewed.

And it worked! Now WHO has removed all claims of amalgam’s safety. Now WHO has committed itself to “work for reduction of mercury and the development of a healthy environment.” Now “WHO will facilitate the work for a switch in use of dental materials.”

Thank you to everybody who urged WHO to take this important step to protect future generations from dental mercury.

Patient Guide — Safe Mercury Removal

Are Mercury Fillings Safe? Mercury fillings emit dangerous mercury vapor.

How we protect you from mercury vapor exposure.  When a dentist removes (drills) on an old amalgam filling, it releases a lot of mercury vapor. You can recognize an amalgam filling because it looks dark gray or silvery. When this mercury vapor is released, you can potentially breathe it in and then have it absorbed into your nervous system or other tissues.

Here’s what we do.

  1. Non-Latex Dental Dam
  2. Medical Air Nasal Hood
  3. High Volume Vacuum
  4. High Speed Suction
  5. Chunck Amalgam Removal
  6. Lots Of Water
  7. Protective Eyewear
  8. Ventilation
  9. Primary Health Provider Communication

Here’s what we do  to protect you from mercury vapor during amalgam filling removal.

First, we use a non-latex dental dam. This is sometimes called a rubber dam; it prevents you from not only breathing in vapor through your mouth but also prevents that vapor from contacting the more permeable mucosa inside your mouth. We use a non-latex dam instead of latex because it resists mercury vapor better than latex does, and because many people have latex sensitivites.

The second thing we do to protect you from mercury vapor is we use a nasal hood supplied with medical air at a high flow rate. We use the same kind of clean, filtered air they use in an operating room. With this air rushing past your nose, you’re much less likely to breathe in mercury vapor from outside the nasal hood.

Third, we place a large, high-volume vacuum right under your chin. This draws a high percentage of escaping vapor away from you and into the vacuum. The vacuum itself has special filters in it that filter not only the particulates but also bind the mercury to special carbon and sulfur layers.

Fourth, we use a high speed suction next to the dental drill, and that suction stays next to the tooth throughout the procedure.

Fifth, we use suction underneath the dam in case any vapor makes it past the nitrile dam.

Sixth, we remove the amalgam in as big of pieces as possible by using thin burrs and sectioning the filling. This way, less mercury vapor gets released.

Seventh, we use lots of water to keep the amalgam cool.

Eighth, we give you protective eyewear.

Ninth, we ventilate the room throughout and after the procedure.

Last, we communicate with your whole-body practitioner to coordinate your dental treatment with your overall plan for detoxification and to optimize your whole-body health plan.

Can I React To Dental Materials?

Your body can react adversely to dental materials in your mouth.

 Here’s a list of the top 10 offenders and where they are most commonly found;

  1. Mercury (Silver Fillings)
  2. Nickle (Crowns)
  3. Beryllium (Crowns)
  4. Aluminum (Implants)
  5. BPA (While Fillings)
  6. Chrome (Crowns)
  7. Cobalt  (Crowns)
  8. Copper (Crowns)
  9. Formaldehyde (White Fillings)
  10. Phenols (White Fillings)

Here’s  a list of the most common symptoms that can be associated with dental materials sensitivity.

  1. Tooth Sensitivity
  2. Inflamed Gums
  3. Fribomyalsia
  4. Candidiasis
  5. Cancer
  6. Autoimmune Disorders
  7. Fatigue
  8. Increased Environmental Sensitivity

How do I know if  i have these dangerous materials in my mouth?

Dr Taylor is highly knowledgeable  about dental materials and can help you understand what materials might be in your existing restorations  by reviewing your dental X-rays.  But even with X-rays  there are limitations in the ability to  identify the materials in your mouth.  For example, there may be mercury  fillings hiding under crowns or a number of base metals used in metal or porcelain fused to metal crowns.

Many people are sensitive to the dental materials placed in their mouths.  Some more, some less.   We strive to reduce the effects of dental treatment on your body by introducing only those materials that your whole body is comfortable with.  We do this by conscientiously selecting all of the materials that we use in the office, and because no two patients are alike we offer materials pretesting to see if you have any existing allergies to dental materials or dental material byproducts.  This test is useful not only for determining which products are best for future use but also  for reviewing what materials you already have in your mouth.

How much does the compatibility test cost?

Our office provides you with the test kit at no cost.  You will take the kit to a convenient pathology lab and mail your payment directly to Clifford Testing.  The rate they currently charge is around $300.

What is the Clifford Materials Reactivity Test? Clifford Consulting & Research Inc.

Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing (CMRT) is a laboratory screening process used to help identify existing sensitivity problems to various chemical groups and families of compounds in an individual patient. This process is currently being implemented in the CMRT Dental Test. After a patient’s test has been completed, the patient’s reactivity test results are compiled in a report. We are currently reporting on over 11,000 trade-named dental products and 94 chemical groups and families. We have also added a Orthopedic panel reporting on over 3900 trade-named products for surgical applications.

In modern society we come in contact with many substances every day in the food we eat, the products we use and the treatments we receive.

Because each of us possesses a unique biochemistry, these substances effect each of us differently and in varying degrees. For some, the effects of certain substances (and their corrosion byproducts) can be toxic and hazardous, and may result in serious health problems. A substance which causes little or no reaction in one individual can prove harmful to another.

Since these effects may vary in each of us, it is vital that these factors be considered when choosing dental and other materials for use in the body, especially in patients with special or unique health concerns.

Clifford Materials Reactivity Testing (CMRT) provides dentists and physicians with extensive information about their patient’s individual sensitivities so that least offensive materials can be chosen and used in their treatments.

CMRT is not merely based upon the body’s response to biomaterials themselves, but also upon response to corrosion byproducts of those materials. These byproducts are generated at various rates as the materials decompose or break down in the body. It is these products of decomposition that the body must deal with and which are most likely to cause untoward health effects and toxic conditions. The body produces systemic antibodies against challenging antigens and will maintain an immunologic record of the components or chemical families which have proven offensive and which can be observed by CMRT.