DENTAL METAL ACTIVITY METER 

Allergy, the most common complaint of our time gives rise to a variety of problems. Many people are allergic to pollen, pet hairs, etc., yet the health risks resulting from metal alloys used as fillings, crowns or other restorations in the field of dentistry are considerably greater.

When these metals come into contact with saliva, they form a galvanic cell-an accumulator-in the mouth. The main elements of the alloys (Ni, Cr, Co, Pd, etc) can cause allergies and other complaints when the ions discharged by dissolution in the mouth enter the organism via the bloodstream. This can cause a wide variety of  symptoms. Frequently, a burning sensation or a sour taste can develop in the oral mucous. Changes may occur within the oral cavity or throughout the human body. These can vary from the simple case of gingivitis to pre-cancerous lesions. Out with the oral cavity, the most frequently observed symptoms are generalized skin rashes or eczema, and alopecia. In addition, dizziness, headaches, high blood pressure, pains in the joints as well as localized symptoms in the mucosa can occur. With the aid of new dental restorations in situ, or those about to be inserted it is possible, using a simple in vivo measurement with a minimum degree of invasiveness, to determine whether existing dental restorations in the oral cavity are-electrochemically speaking-in the active or stable state. The active state is characterized by a migration of ions, i.e. Metal ions are discharged from the metal alloy. This migration is hazardous to the health. In conjunction with albumins, these metal ions enter via the bloodstream into the entire body, where they can give rise to a wide variety of complaints and illnesses, particularly in the already sensitized organism.

In our office you can be checked by a DMA meter for Risk of wearing filling, PFM crown, bridges. It is well known that metal substructure under PFM bridges contains metals that can be harmful to your health: NI, Vanadium, indium, and zinc cadmium. These metals must be incorporated to the alloy for acceptable binding to porcelain to metal understructures.

Should the measurements taken indicate necessity of removing your fillings, bridges and crowns, we can quickly make you new, non-metallic restorations from ceramic and polymer composite.

The last method is from Europe, for manufacturing polymer-composite crowns. These restorations are not as brittle as ceramics; they do not damage natural teeth by grinding and finally they are less expensive than either ceramics or porcelain, due to the fact that we have in our office our own laboratory (thus no work is being farmed out). It should be added that the natural teeth opposing polymer composite crowns and bridges wear out considerably less aggressively than under the ceramics.

A group of German scientists came to a conclusion concerning the rationalization of the oral. It appears that, more often, both the crowns and bridges prosthesis would have to be replaced after 7 years even if the latter do not bother the wearer. The reason is not in the fact that the material from which they are made requires it, but because of an outset of caries (decay), including that of the tooth root. The crowns become shorter due to a progressive periodontitis. It should be further mentioned that the cementing material, providing the seat to the crowns and ridges, undergoes changes, degrades and even disappears within seven years. Its place being taken by a film of anaerobic bacteria which is responsible in some degree, for bad breath.

As a result of the above consideration, a common thinking, in Europe on this subject is as follows:

Is there a reason to pay for expensive porcelain-ceramic crowns and bridges to stand a chance of wearing one’s own teeth, exposure to a danger of fracture due to their brittleness, when polymer-composite crowns and bridges are available, providing equally satisfactory aesthetic results.  

There appears to be only one disadvantage to be considered, after a period of seven years of usage, these polymer composites will show a 40-micron wear on chewing surfaces.

This material can also be used to fabricate inlay bridges that is non-metal bridges on fillings of up to 4 pontics. This procedure is an alternative to implants, should they be economically prohibitive, or should you have compromised bone or general health, to consider such implants. Almost no drilling necessary. These restorations can be manufactured in our lab in a relatively short time.  

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