BLOOD MERCURY LEVELS WITH AMALGAM RETROSEALS - A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

A clinical study was performed to determine if placement of an amalgam retroseal resulted in elevated blood mercury levels, Ten subjects had blood drawn 7 days before and immediately before placement of an amal gam retroseal, Postoperative blood draws occurred at 7 and 30 days. Bl ood samples were analyzed for mercury content by Cold-Vapor Atomic Abs orption Spectrophotometry. No statistically significant increase in bl ood mercury levels was detected at 7 and 30 days after placement of an amalgam retroseal as compared with preoperative levels (p = 0.97). Fi ndings support the hypothesis that placement of an amalgam retroseal d oes not result in significant elevations of blood mercury levels.