Pneumoconiosis in an elderly dentist

Numerous dusts found commonly in the dental laboratory have been suggested as potential pulmonary hazards. We recently noted a case of severe interstitial pulmonary fibrosis with intraalveolar deposition of unique foreign body inclusions in an elderly dentist. The composition of these particles was shown to be consistent with that of alginate impression powder. This is in contrast to previously reported pneumoconioses in dental workers, which are usually induced by metallic alloys or silicates. Further studies are needed to identify the causes and prevalence of pneumoconiosis in the dental lab.