Palladium in dental alloys--the dermatologists' responsibility to warn?
Palladium is increasingly used in industry, but also in fine jewelry and in dentistry. Thus, palladium-silver alloys comprise a substantial part of the noble metal ceramic alloy sales in Western countries. The increased use of this metal seems, however, to be paralleled by a rise in the number of reports of palladium allergy. Recently a European study reported a sensitization rate of 2.8%. In Austria, where palladium has started to displace amalgam in dental fillings because of concerns about mercury toxicity, and gold due to price factors, we have found a sensitization rate of 8.3% in unselected eczema patients. Despite the current lack of clear clinical relevance of this finding, these numbers should motivate us to question this substance as "the alloy of the future".
Aberer
W
W
University Department of Dermatology, Vienna, Austria.
Holub
H
H
Strohal
R
R
Slavicek
R
R
D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D009532:Nickel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D010165:Palladium / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis
D003722:Dental Alloys; D010165:Palladium; D009532:Nickel