Daily release of copper from dental alloy restorations in a patient with Wilson's disease

Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder in which copper accumulates in tissues. Its victims must adhere to a strict dietary regimen yielding less than 2 mg of copper per day. Three major variables have been identified as being of critical importance in the treatment of these patients: the amount of copper naturally occurring in foods, the amount of copper introduced during the preparation of foods, and the amount of copper in the environment. An environmental variable that rarely has been addressed is the amount of copper in dental restorations. A case report is presented to discuss the possible consequences of copper-containing dental restorations for the patient with Wilson's disease.