Toxic effects of Cu implants on liver

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Toxicology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Dental amalgam is a widely used restorative material.
• Concerns exist regarding potential systemic effects from copper (Cu) dissolution from dental amalgams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the systemic effects of copper dissolution from experimental dental amalgams.
• To assess copper accumulation and histopathological changes in rat livers following amalgam implantation.

Main Methods:

• Specimens of pure copper and various copper-containing dental amalgams were implanted into the peritoneal cavity of rats.
• Implantations lasted for 4 weeks.
• Liver tissue was analyzed for copper concentration and examined for histopathological changes.

Main Results:

• Copper concentrations in rat livers ranged from 33.3 to 156.2 micrograms Cu/dry g of liver tissue.
• Histopathological examination confirmed the presence of copper within hepatocytes' lysosomes.
• Implantation of copper-containing amalgams led to observable chemical and histopathological changes in the liver.

Conclusions:

• The study demonstrates copper accumulation and associated liver changes in rats after implantation of copper-containing dental amalgams.
• These findings suggest potential systemic toxicity.
• Further long-term systemic toxicity investigations are necessary for copper-containing implants.