BPA from dental resin material: where are we going with restorative and preventive dental biomaterials?

Excerpt

Since a number of years, the question of the impact of BPA released from dental resins and/or sealants (or other dental materials) is open. These materials contain different monomers and many additives that are used to induce or inhibit the polymerization reaction. The monomers are mainly urethane dimethacrylate, BPA glycidyl dimethacrylate (Bis-GMA), its ethoxylated version (Bis-EMA), and BPA dimethacrylate (Bis-DMA). Comonomers such as triethylene glycol dimethacrylate are used to dilute the thick consistency and provide a higher degree of cure because of their relatively lower molecular weight [1]. BPA is used in the manufacturing process of Bis-GMA, Bis-EMA, and Bis-DMA or other similar molecules, and thus, minute amounts of BPA residues may be present in the final material. Interestingly, it has been shown that some patients treated with Bis-DMA containing materials present salivary and urinary BPA concentrations two to tenfold higher than control patients [2], which, however, decreased to almost normal after 24 h. For Bis-GMA materials, very small amounts of BPA could be detected in saliva and only neglectable amounts in urine, which also decreased 24 h after placement. …