I'm wondering how many others here have had "metal" caps, crowns, bridges or braces throughout their lifetime?

I have a mouthful of dental work, and recently realized that I have been ignoring an infected, capped, root canal for well over a year. In the process of researching the potential repercussions of leaving this type of infection untreated , it came to light that many of the dental procedures (not fillings) use "stainless steel" (translation nickel) in them. Nickel could be toxic to humans.

Apparently the easiest test of whether a person is particularly sensitive to nickel is if they can't wear cheap earings. I can't.

MS occurs most often in women and the ratio of women to men has grown even in the last 20 - 40 yrs. Women are more likely to invest in this expensive & cosmetic dental work (many men might just the tooth pulled instead), and/or to wear earings.

So, I thought I'd throw the questions out . . . for either/both genders to answer:

1. Have you had bridges, caps, crowns or braces that may have contained nickel?

2. Are you aware whether you are sensitive to nickel (i.e. cheap earings)?

NOTE: There has been talk of mercury from fillings in the past, but this is the first I've read about nickel.

Cherie

1. Have you had bridges, caps, crowns or braces that may have contained nickel?

I have four caps from a car accident at 15. I also wore braces from 10-14 years of age.



2. Are you aware whether you are sensitive to nickel (i.e. cheap earings)?

I can't wear cheapo ear rings, and in fact, let my ears close and have not worn an ear ring in some 5-6 years. I'm not much of a jewlery person anyway.


I did have all my mercury/Almalgum removed in 2001 as well.

Good question

Other than a mouth full of amalgams, I've never had any other metalwork put in my mouth.

I do know that I have a serious nickel allergy. It built up over time when I was a teenager and kept buying crappy earrings with nickel in them in a vain attempt to wear earrings like Madonna's.

Now my jewelry has to be either .825 or .925 silver, or I have to have 14k gold. The best part about the nicer earrings, they look way better than the crap I put on my ears when I was a teenager.

I hate it when someone gives me earrings as a gift, tells me that they're sterling silver and I cant find the .825 or .925 stamped in the metal (it law that sterling silver cant be called sterling silver unless it has .825 or .925 stamped on it)

The person gets all ticked because I dont immediately put the earrings on, or gets mad when I say that I cant wear them because of a nickel allergy.

HI Cherie,

I also have an infected capped root canal. Byranna gave me some advice on it in the dentistry forum.

I also have a lot of crowns so I am going to read up more on what you have brought up in terms of a nickel allergy. Thanks!

Good question.
I don't have anything other a mouth full of ugly fillings but I can't wear cheap jewelry, gold has to be at least 14K.

I forgot to mention that I need to get at least one root canal done VERY SOON. My dentist is going to be removing my amalgams at around the same time, because the amalgams are cracking my teeth.

She said my amalgams are extremely old, and that she thinks they have a high mercury content. (not sure how she knows how they'd have a high mercury content)

Great subject Cherie

I have several crowns not sure if they have nickel, but they go back nearly 25 years. My mom was afraid of the dentist so as kids we didn't go at all, after the divorce. At 18, I started going and had many cavities and several root canals.

I'm considering having my amalgam removed, now am wondering about the crowns/caps. I see the dentist next week and will see what she says.

Thanks again for the info.

I believe that nickel hasn't been used on a regular basis in dentistry in the US for many years.

Thanks for everyone's responses so far.


There are quite a few sources on the internet that say that nickel is still used:

"Nickel is added to the metal in braces (and crowns) so they don't rust. Here we call it stainless steel.":

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...4190050AATSkyS

"More than 75% of the crowns placed today are nickel":

http://www.whale.to/v/huggins.html

"Typically, what dental labs use to make crowns and bridges is nickel":

http://www.newlifejournal.com/10-02/askpatton_10_02.htm

"Crowns can be all metal, porcelain fused to metal (PFM), or all ceramic. Metals include gold alloy, other alloys (palladium) or a base-metal alloy (nickel or chromium). The all-metal or PFM crowns are stronger and are better choices for back teeth."

http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/U...es/Crowns.cvsp

Since most of my crowns and bridges date back to the 70's and 80's, I'm thinking it's even more likely they used metal back then.

Cherie

I'm having a root canal done soon, I think I'll be choosing the "all porcelain" option if it needs a crown.

Then I guess I'll have to do something about my ice chewing habit.