Composite resin versus amalgam - toxicity
Midentistry review group
Abstract
Both materials appear to have toxic effects on animal tissue in vivo and in vitro.
This abstract is prepared and maintained by Midentistry, currently published in The MI Compendium, 3rd edition, Copyright © 2009, 2010 Midentistry. The full data of this review is available in http://www.midentistry.com/secure-folder/content/3/fur0401.asp (ISBN: 0-620-34080-0)
This record should be cited as: Midentistry. Composite resin versus amalgam - toxicity. Minim Interv Comp Database Syst Rev 2010; 1: RV001120101605.
This version first published online: May 16, 2010
Last revised: May 16, 2010
Objectives
To assess whether allergic reactions of oral tissues in contact with composite resin are less common than for oral tissues in contact with amalgam.
Search strategy
The trials were identified from a search of the PubMed database on: January 04, 2010 using the terms:"toxicity "[Subheading] AND "Composite Resins"[Mesh]
Inclusion criteria
- relevant (comparing Composite resin vs. Amalgam)
- 2-arm trials(in vivo, in situ, in vitro)
- Published in English
Exclusion criteria
- No computable data (dichotomous, continuous) reported
- Single chemical components of composite resins and amalgam investigated, only
Data collection and analysis
The systematic literature search identified 3 controlled in vivo trials on animals and 3 in vitro trials. Of these a total of 145 separate datasets (DS) could be extracted.
Main results and Authors' conclusions
Due to high methodological heterogeneity no meta-analysis was conducted. The results of the 145 individual datasets are difficult to interpret in terms which material is more toxic. The results also seem to be dependent on the type of composite or amalgam studied. Composite resin seems to lose its toxic impact in terms of the number of inflammatory cells in time but not in terms of antibody responds (in rats). Amalgam appears to be more toxic in terms of its inhibiting effect of monkey kidney cells after 7 days. Cell lysis of mouse fibroblasts is higher for composite regardless whether the material is freshly mixed or not. Both materials appear to act more toxic than the other or equally toxic depending on the method of measurement; type of dental product per material or type of exposed tissue studied. The overall results do no provide conclusive evidence to which material is more toxic. However, both materials appear to have toxic effects on animal tissue in vivo and in vitro.
