Effect of Surface Polishing on Mercury Release from Dental Amalgam After Treatment 16% Carbamide Peroxide Gel

Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of surface polishing on mercury release from dental amalgam after treatment with 16% carbamide peroxide gel.Materials and Methods: Ninety-six samples from two different amalgam brands were prepared in truncated cone-shaped PVC polymer molds with an external surface area of 195 mm². Half of the specimens were polished with green and red rubber, a brush and tin oxide paste at low speed. Samples were treated with 16% carbamide peroxide gel intubes containing 3 mL of carbamide peroxide gel and 0.1 mL of distilled water for 14 and 28 hours. Subsequently, carbamide peroxide gel on the sample surfaces was rinsed away with 7.0 mL of distilled water until the volume of each tube increased to 10 mL. Themercury level of each solution was measured using the VAV–440 mercury analyzer system.Considering the surface area of each amalgam disc, mercury amounts were calculated in μg ⁄mm². Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA.Results: There were significant differences between the mean levels of mercury release from polished vs. unpolished amalgam surfaces after treatment with 16% carbamide peroxide.Increasing the storage time from 14 to 28 hours did not result in significant changes in the amount of mercury release. There was no significant interaction effect between amalgam surface polish and storage time statistically.Conclusion: Polished amalgam restorations release less mercury after treatment with carbamide peroxide bleaching gel in comparison with unpolished amalgam restorations

Blood Mercury Level and Its Determinants among Dental Practitioners in Hamadan, Iran

Objective: Exposure to mercury can occur in occupational and environmental settings.During clinical work with dental amalgam, the dental personnel are exposed to both metallic mercury and mercury vapor. The aim of the present study was to investigate bloodmercury level (BML) and its determinants among dentists practicing in Hamadan city,Iran.Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was done on all dental practitioners of Hamadan (n=43). Dentists were asked to complete a questionnaire, and then 5 ml bloodsamples were obtained from them. After preparation, mercury concentration of each sample was measured by cold vapor atomic absorption device. Pearson correlation test and regression models served for statistical analysis.Results: The mean blood concentration of mercury was 6.3 μg/l (SD=1.31 range 4.15-8.93). BML was positively associated with age, years in practice, working hours per day,number of amalgam restorations per day, number of amalgam removal per week, sea foodconsumption, working years in present office, using amalgam powder, using diamond bur for amalgam removal, dry sterilization of amalgam contaminated instruments, and deficient air ventilation.Conclusion: BML of dentists in Hamadan was higher than standards. Working hours and number of amalgam restorations per day were significantly correlated with blood mercury

Effect of Silane Solvent on Microtensile Bond Strength of Hy-drogen Peroxide-Treated Fiber Post and Composite Core

Objective: The aim of this in vitrostudy was to evaluate the effect of the type of solvent in silane solution on microtensile bond strength of fiber posts to composite resin cores af-ter application of 24% hydrogen peroxide.Materials and Methods: Eighteen white fiber posts, immersed in 24% hydrogen peroxide were divided into three groups (n=6). In the group A post surfaces were silanized with an ethanol based solution, in group B with an acetone based solution, in the group C with and un-diluted methacryloxytrimethoxysilane (as the control group). The cores were built up using flowable composite. Microtensile bond strength test and evaluations using stereomi-croscope were performed on the samples and the data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests.Results: A significant difference was observed between the amounts of microtensile bond strength of fiber poststo composite cores in the groups A and B, and the ones in group C (P<0.05). There was no such difference between groups A and B (P>0.05).Conclusion: The type of solvent in silane solution has no effect on microtensile bond strength between fiber post andcomposite resin core after application of 24% Hydrogen Peroxide

Effect of Nanofiller Addition to an Experimental Dentin Adhesive on Microtensile Bond Strength to Human Dentin

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of adding nanofiller particles to a dentin bonding agent on resin-dentin bond strength.Materials and Methods: Fifty-four human intact premolar teeth were divided in to 6 groups of nine. The teeth were ground on occlusal surfaces and polished with 320 and then 600 grit silicon carbide papers. An experimental bonding system based on acetone/alcoholsolvent was provided with filler contents of 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 weight percent fumed silica nanofiller. After dentin surface etching, rinsing and blot drying, the experimentalbonding agents were applied to dentin surface. A composite resin was, then,bonded to the dentin on the bonding agent. The specimens were thermocycled for 500 cycles and sectioned in stick form. After two week of storage in distilled water, resin-dentin microtensile bond strength of the specimens was measured. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA and DunnettT3 tests.Results: Bond strength to dentin was significantly affected by the filler level. Minimum and maximum resin-microtensile bond strength was in the experimental bonding agent with no filler (5.88 MPa) and with filler level of 1.0 weight percent (15.15 MPa), respectively,and decreased with the increase of filler content down to 8.95 MPa for the filler level of 10.0 weight percent.Conclusion: Filler content seems to be one of the important factors influencing the bond strength of dental adhesives. Maximum dentin bond strength was obtained with 1% silanized nanofiller silica added to experimental adhesive system