title: Silver solder "tattoo," a novel form of oral pigmentation identified with the use of field emission scanning electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectrography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the use of field emission scanning electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectrography (SEM-EDS) to identify silver solder "tattoo."
  
  
  METHODS
  SEM-EDS was used to analyze material present in the connective tissue of a patient who presented with bilateral pigmentation of the mandibular lingual gingiva adjacent to the first molars. No dental restorations were present.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SEM-EDS analysis identified silver, with no evidence of tin, copper, or mercury. The patient was wearing an orthodontic appliance where brackets had been soldered to the archwire with silver solder. It is hypothesed that the solder underwent electrolytic corrosion with subsequent regrouping of silver ions in the submucosa leading to blue-gray discoloration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spectrography proved to be a powerful diagnostic tool in identifying the metal within the oral mucosa. Attention is drawn to this newly described lesion, which should be included as a differential diagnosis for pigmented oral mucosal lesions.
authors.affiliation: Medlab Dental Oral Pathology Laboratory and Sir John Walsh Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hussaini
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Waddell
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Girvan
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kardos
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Seymour
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003343:Corrosion; D012994:Dental Soldering; D004572:Electrolysis; D004577:Electron Probe Microanalysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016910:Orthodontic Brackets; D009969:Orthodontic Wires; D010859:Pigmentation Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D012834:Silver / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013653:Tattooing
chemical_list: D012834:Silver