Metallic dental materials include:

• Amalgam materials used primarily as filling materials.

• Implants, mostly titanium and zirconium alloys.

• Casting alloys used in crowns and bridges, as bases for ceramic restorations, and in orthodontic work.  Always consider the toxicity of the metal as well as the bonding agent used to 'glue' the metal to the tooth.

• Gold is discussed under GOLD MATERIALS.

 

Problems with metals include:

• Toxicity

• Oral Galvanism

 

Amalgam fillings.

Amalgam fillings have a silver appearance. (see the picture left). Many people insist that they are safer than fluoride fillings, in spite of their perceived toxicity. An amalgam is obtained by mixing mercury (which is toxic to all people) with other metals; this mixture is then used to fill a cavity. 

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According to the Canadian Dental Association, the amount of mercury that is included in dental amalgams today is a very small amount. This amount is bound to the other metals in the material, which reduces the amount that is absorbed by the body, making dental amalgams used in dental offices today safe for patients.

 

Titanium

Titanium alloys (mainly titanium, aluminum, and vanadium alloys) are the preferred choice for dental implants as compared to pure titanium, due to their higher strength. Any of these can initiate immune responses.   Like all metals, titanium releases particles through corrosion. The body’s immune system may attack this structure, starting chain reaction which can lead to many symptoms including chronic fatigue syndrome, type IV delayed hypersensitivity, allergies, malaise and other vague varied symptoms. Titanium dental implants pose serious health risks to the allergy sensitive.  Illnesses that have been linked to implants include cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis (MS), Lou Gehrig Disease (ALS), lupus and other inflammatory conditions. 

 

Titanium may be harmful to your brain. Titanium nano particles can enter directly into the hippocampus region of the brain through the nose and olfactory bulb. Research conducted by Escuela Superior de Medicina at Instituto Politécnico Nacional found that titanium dioxide had a toxic effect on glial cells in the brain, suggesting that exposure to titanium dioxide may cause brain injury and be a health hazard. 

 

The Melisa test is the only test that will show titanium sensitivity.

 

Zirconium

Because of the risks involved with titanium implants,  the spotlight over the last decade has fallen upon zirconium which is a grey-white transition metal. It belongs to the same chemical group in the periodic table as titanium which has an atomic weight of 22 with zirconium sitting directly below it with an atomic weight of 40.

 

Just like there are dentists who believe that white, fluoride fillings are safer then mercury fillings, there are dentists who believe that zirconium is safer than titanium.  Truth is that some people are allergic to zirconium but not to titanium, or vice versa. Other people are allergic to both. Before considering any implant, have yourself tested.  Removable dentures may be the best choice in the long run.

 

Other Metals

Metals are much more allergenic than medical science give them credit for.

Nickel, the major component of stainless steel, used in dentistry and orthopedic medicine, is toxic to all people. Also, nickel and other non-precious metal alloys tend to contribute disproportionately to galvanic electricity in the mouth.

 

Oral galvanism

Aside from their power to provoke immune reactivity, metals are also electrically active. Never mix metals in a person's mouth. If there is a titanium implant, do not use gold, zirconium or other metals in restorations. Mixing metals creates an electric current in the mouth known as oral galvanism.

 

Gold and titanium grouped together have the potential to create a battery of over three volts! Considering that the human nervous system works on membrane potentials of 0.140 volts, electricity from dental metals can overwhelm normal neuronal control. The manifestation may be pain, or inappropriately elevated muscle tone, – as in jaw tension or loosing facial symmetry, TMJ, temporal headache, skin pallor and various other conditions.

 

The standard is to make all restorations in a person’s mouth, including removable frameworks,  from the same high noble alloy, and not to mix metals at all. 

 

Sources

http://www.biodentistrydrvizcarra.com/?s=8&sub=1

http://www.biocomplaboratories.com/biocompatibility-Testing-Dental-Toxicity.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3010023/

http://iaomt.org/practical-guide-compatibility-testing-dental-materials/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3753052/

http://www.researchgate.net/post/What_makes_titanium_implants_toxic_and_cause_allergic_and_autoimmune_reactions

http://www.melisa.org/metals-disease/metals/titanium/

http://www.marilynkjonesdds.com/1432/titanium-dental-implants-pose-serious-health-risks-allergy-sensitive/

 http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/health-risks-of-titanium/