Palladium in dental alloys--the dermatologists' responsibility to warn?

Contact Dermatitis. 1993 Mar;28(3):163-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0536.1993.tb03379.x.

Abstract

Palladium is increasingly used in industry, but also in fine jewelry and in dentistry. Thus, palladium-silver alloys comprise a substantial part of the noble metal ceramic alloy sales in Western countries. The increased use of this metal seems, however, to be paralleled by a rise in the number of reports of palladium allergy. Recently a European study reported a sensitization rate of 2.8%. In Austria, where palladium has started to displace amalgam in dental fillings because of concerns about mercury toxicity, and gold due to price factors, we have found a sensitization rate of 8.3% in unselected eczema patients. Despite the current lack of clear clinical relevance of this finding, these numbers should motivate us to question this substance as "the alloy of the future".

MeSH terms

  • Burning Mouth Syndrome / chemically induced*
  • Dental Alloys / adverse effects*
  • Dental Alloys / chemistry
  • Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Nickel / adverse effects
  • Nickel / analysis
  • Palladium / adverse effects*
  • Palladium / analysis

Substances

  • Dental Alloys
  • Palladium
  • Nickel