Pankaj Gupta1, Shivani Mallishery2, Nikita Bajaj3, K Banga1, Ashna Mehra4, Rajiv Desai5. 1. Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, IND. 2. Dentistry, University of Colorado, Colorado, USA. 3. Neuroscience, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, AUS. 4. Dental Surgery, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, IND. 5. Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Nair Hospital Dental College, Mumbai, IND.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Amalgam has been the restoration of choice for years, but its popularity has declined due to concerns about aesthetics, mercury toxicity and lichenoid lesions associated with it. Lichenoid reaction is considered to be a delayed hypersensitivity type of reaction and it has been associated with dental materials in general and amalgam in particular. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: Two thousand patients having at least one amalgam restoration were examined for signs of lichenoid lesions when visiting the OPD of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics at the Nair Hospital Dental College in Mumbai, India. Indirect spatial correlation to the amalgam restoration and the same were recorded. Descriptive analysis was used. RESULTS: Three (0.15%) out of 2000 patients with amalgam-associated lichenoid lesions showed complete resolution of lesions after the replacement of the restorations. CONCLUSION: Amalgam associated lichenoid lesions have a low prevalence and should not be a contraindication to its use in routine restorative dental practice. Patch tests and biopsies have questionable diagnostic and prognostic value. Identification of the lesions should be made after the elimination of all other causative factors for the presenting symptoms. A close spatial association of the lesion to amalgam and the regression of symptoms after its removal should be considered as confirming the diagnosis.
INTRODUCTION: Amalgam has been the restoration of choice for years, but its popularity has declined due to concerns about aesthetics, mercury toxicity and lichenoid lesions associated with it. Lichenoid reaction is considered to be a delayed hypersensitivity type of reaction and it has been associated with dental materials in general and amalgam in particular. MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY: Two thousand patients having at least one amalgam restoration were examined for signs of lichenoid lesions when visiting the OPD of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics at the Nair Hospital Dental College in Mumbai, India. Indirect spatial correlation to the amalgam restoration and the same were recorded. Descriptive analysis was used. RESULTS: Three (0.15%) out of 2000 patients with amalgam-associated lichenoid lesions showed complete resolution of lesions after the replacement of the restorations. CONCLUSION: Amalgam associated lichenoid lesions have a low prevalence and should not be a contraindication to its use in routine restorative dental practice. Patch tests and biopsies have questionable diagnostic and prognostic value. Identification of the lesions should be made after the elimination of all other causative factors for the presenting symptoms. A close spatial association of the lesion to amalgam and the regression of symptoms after its removal should be considered as confirming the diagnosis.
Authors: Ronald Laeijendecker; Sybren K Dekker; Piet M Burger; Paul G H Mulder; Theodoor Van Joost; Martino H A Neumann Journal: Arch Dermatol Date: 2004-12
Authors: Ibtisam Al-Hashimi; Mark Schifter; Peter B Lockhart; David Wray; Michael Brennan; Cesar A Migliorati; Tony Axéll; Alison J Bruce; William Carpenter; Ellen Eisenberg; Joel B Epstein; Palle Holmstrup; Mats Jontell; Francina Lozada-Nur; Raj Nair; Bud Silverman; Kobkan Thongprasom; Martin Thornhill; Saman Warnakulasuriya; Isaäc van der Waal Journal: Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod Date: 2007-01-29