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A Measurement of Galvanic Current and Electrical Potential in Extracted Human Teeth

Department of Operative Dentistry, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, 2-1-3, Tsurumi; Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230, Japan

A. Asanuma

Department of Physiology, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, 2-1-3, Tsurumi; Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230, Japan

A. Kohno

Department of Operative Dentistry, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, 2-1-3, Tsurumi; Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230, Japan

K. Yanagisawa

Department of Physiology, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, 2-1-3, Tsurumi; Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, 230, Japan

When opposing teeth with amalgam and gold restoration are in contact, current flows in the mouth at the instant the dissimilar metals touch. In this study, this condition was simulated by use of resistors and extracted human teeth with amalgam and MOD gold inlay restorations.

When both teeth were in contact in a physiological saline solution, we measured current and electrical potential generated in each pulp chamber. Galvanic current generated in the tooth with amalgam was always larger (as much as 18.2 times at the instant of contact) than that in the tooth with gold. Electrical potential generated in the tooth with amalgam was always larger (as much as 9.7 times at the instant of contact) than that in the tooth with gold. It should be emphasized that the larger current generated in the tooth with amalgam was caused mainly by its larger electrical potential. These results correspond well with the clinical phenomenon of galvanic pain, which occurs in the tooth with amalgam rather than in the tooth with gold.

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Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 65, No. 12, 1441-1444 (1986)
DOI: 10.1177/00220345860650121301


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This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Momoi, Y. Articles by Yanagisawa, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Momoi, Y. Articles by Yanagisawa, K. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?