Mercury release from dental amalgam after treatment with 10% carbamide peroxide in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
The effect of 10% carbamide peroxide on mercury release from dental amalgams was assessed in vitro by using a cold-vapor atomic absorption Mercury Analyzer System.


METHODS
Samples of 4 commercial brands of dental amalgam, Megaloy (Dentsply/Caulk, Milford, Del), Mega+ (CFPM, Aulnaye, France), Nongama 2 (Silmet, Or Yehuda, Israel), and Valiant Ph.D. (Dentsply/Caulk, Milford, Del), were treated for 48 hours with 10% carbamide peroxide and compared with samples treated with phosphate buffer.


RESULTS
Amalgam specimens exposed for 48 hours to 10% carbamide peroxide showed significantly higher concentrations of mercury in solution as compared with specimens treated with phosphate buffer (P <.001). Megaloy and Valiant Ph.D. yielded significantly higher mercury concentrations in solution than Mega+ and Nongama 2 (P <.001). Mega+ yielded significantly higher mercury concentrations in solution than Nongama 2 (P <.05). No significant differences were found in mercury concentrations in solution between Megaloy and Valiant Ph.D.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with 10% carbamide peroxide bleaching agents caused an increase in mercury release from amalgam restorations, possibly increasing exposure of patients to its adverse effects. Amalgam brands differed in the amounts of mercury release after bleaching with carbamide peroxide.
Rotstein
I
I
Department of Endodontics, Hebrew University-Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.
Dogan
H
H
Avron
Y
Y
Shemesh
H
H
Steinberg
D
D
D000077463:Carbamide Peroxide; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D010545:Peroxides / Q000737:chemistry*; D014073:Tooth Bleaching; D014508:Urea / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry
D004338:Drug Combinations; D010545:Peroxides; D000077463:Carbamide Peroxide; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D014508:Urea; D008628:Mercury