Changes in health complaints after removal of amalgam fillings

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Changes in health complaints after removal of amalgam fillings.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21517933>

Sjursen TT, Lygre GB, Dalen K, Helland V, Laegreid T, Svahn J, Lundekvam

BF, Björkman L.

J Oral Rehabil. 2011 Nov;38(11):835-48.

Summary  The aim of the present study was to investigate whether removal

of all amalgam fillings was associated with long-term changes in health

complaints in a group of patients who attributed subjective health

complaints to amalgam fillings. Patients previously examined at the

Norwegian Dental Biomaterials Adverse Reaction Unit were included in the

study and assigned to a treatment group (n = 20) and a reference group

(n = 20). Participants in the treatment group had all amalgam fillings

replaced with other restorative materials. Follow-ups took place 3 

months, 1 and 3 years after removal of all amalgam fillings. There was

no intervention in the reference group. Subjective health complaints

were measured by numeric rating scales in both groups. Analysis of

covariance was used to compare changes in health complaints over time in

the two groups. In the treatment group, there were significant

reductions in intra-oral and general health complaints from inclusion

into study to the 3-year follow-up. In the reference group, changes in

the same period were not significant. Comparisons between the groups

showed that reductions in intra-oral and general health complaints in

the treatment group were significantly different from the changes in the

reference group. The mechanisms behind this remain to be identified.

Reduced exposure to dental amalgam, patient-centred treatment and

follow-ups, and elimination of worry are factors that may have

influenced the results.

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