Decomposition of Ag-based soldering alloys used in space maintainers after intra-oral exposure. A retrieval analysis study

作者：Soteriou Despo; Ntasi Argyro; Papagiannoulis Lisa; Eliades Theodore; Zinelis Spiros^*

来源：Acta Odontologica Scandinavica, 2014, 72(2): 130-138.

DOI：10.3109/00016357.2013.812745

• Ag-alloys
• soldering
• space maintainers
• SEM/EDX

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the elemental alterations of Ag soldering alloys used in space maintainers after intra-oral exposure. Materials and methods. Twenty devices were fabricated by using two different soldering alloys; US (Dentaurum Universal Silver Solder, n = 10) and OS (Leone Orthodontic Solder, n = 10). All devices were manufactured by the same technician. Surface morphology and elemental quantitative analysis of the soldering alloys before and after intra-oral placement in patients was determined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDX). Statistical analysis was performed by t-test, Mann Whitney tests and Pearson's correlation. For all tests a 95% confidence level was used (alpha = 0.05). Results. Both soldering alloys demonstrated substantially increase in surface roughness after intra-oral aging. Statistical analysis illustrated a significant decrease in the Cu and Zn content after treatment. OS demonstrated higher Cu release than US (p < 0.05). The remaining relative concentrations of Cu and Zn after the treatment did not show any correlation (p > 0.05) with intra-oral exposure time, apart from Zn in OS (r = 0.840, p = 0.04). Conclusions. Both soldering alloys demonstrated a significant Cu and Zn reduction after intra-oral exposure that may raise biocompatibility concerns.

• 出版日期2014-2