Amalgam Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Amalgam, including details on dental fillings, dentistry, side-effects.

Morphological findings and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis of oral amalgam tattoos.

Zhang X, Gelderblom HR, Zierold K, Reichart PA

School and Hospital of Stomatology, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China; Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Germany; Charité, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Zentrum für Zahnmedizin, Abteilung für Oralchirurgie und zahnaerztliche Röntgenologie, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany.

Oral amalgam tattoos (AT) are distinct pigmentations of the oral mucosa resulting from accidental incorporation of dental amalgam in the oral soft tissues. Dental amalgams and in particular mercury, one of the constituents of dental amalgams, have for long been considered toxic. Oral ATs are easily accessable to study soft tissue reaction to amalgam and its degradation products. In this study, 17 oral ATs were examined by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Ultrastructurally, in the ATs, three kinds of electron-dense particles were observed. The largest particles ranged in size from 0.5 up to several 100mum. Smaller electron-dense inclusions (0.5-0.1mum) were seen extracellularly associated with meshworks of elastic fibers and collagen bundles. The third and smallest type of particles (5-30nm in diameter) was found with basement membranes of small vessels and pericytes and particularly decorating collagen bundles. Element analysis regularly revealed the presence of silver, sulphur, copper and lead in the AT decay products. Mercury was found in only one instance. Tissue reactions due to ATs seem to be minimal. No acute inflammatory changes were seen. Larger inclusions occasionally were surrounded by macrophages and multinucleated cells. TEM and element analysis may in specific cases be helpful in the differential diagnosis of pigmented lesions of the oral mucosa.

Published 12 October 2006 in Micron.
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