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JDT
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Email:jdt@nadl.org
Copyright © 2007
by the NADL
Journal of Dental
Technology.
All rights reserved.
May 2008
Opening Pandora's Box
With
the Chinese lead contamination in the news, it seems we’ve opened a Pandora’s
Box that I had no idea even existed. First, we hear about the woman in Ohio,
then about the testing and finally the results - 220 parts per million of lead
found in the ceramic veneering material or glaze on her bridgework. This is two
and half times what the government allows in toys. The FDA standard for ceramic
dinner plates and cups is only three parts per million.
The ADA’s response? A series of talking points for dentists when communicating with concerned patients and a series of guidelines for dealing with laboratories. According the ADA in their initial press release, no amount of lead is acceptable in crowns and bridges yet the ADA set standards 16 years ago that 300 parts per million are acceptable in dental ceramics.
“AMERICAN
NATIONAL STANDARD/AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION
SPECIFICATION
NO. 69 DENTAL CERAMIC
Council
on Dental Materials, Instruments and Equipment American Dental Association 211
E. Chicago Avenue Chicago, IL 60611
ANSI/ADA
Specification No. 69 - 1991. Approved May 10, 1991. Effective May 10, 1992.
5.2.2
The manufacturer of the dental ceramic shall submit a certificate of assurance,
including information on the test methods used and the results of the
concentration determinations, that the content of elements in the dental
ceramic powder is limited to the following maximum concentrations:
5.2.2.1 Lead 300 ppm”
The American Dental Association is a trade group, just like the National Association of Dental Laboratories. There is no difference. They have the best interests of their members at heart with little regard for the patients or the technicians working with these materials. How many ceramists have you seen who routinely stick the brush in their mouth while stacking porcelain?
We, as members of our own trade association, need to take a stronger interest in the decisions being made for us by other people, otherwise, we might as well sit with our mouths open and be spoon fed whatever the manufacturers, dentists and lawyers want to feed us. Frankly, I think it’s time we put our collective foot down and initiate some changes. Let NADL know how you feel about this.
Mark Jackson is president of the DAMAS-certified Precision Ceramics Dental Laboratory in California.