Author: DeRouen TA, Martin MD, Leroux BG, Townes BD, Woods JS, Leitao J, Castro-Caldas A, Luis H, Bernardo M, Rosenbaum G, Martins IP.
Source: JAMA.
Year: 2006
Comment:
This study, part of the Children's Amalgam Trial, has been cited often to suggest safety of amalgam use in children. However, a number of other studies and reports have criticized various aspects of this study and found evidence directly opposed to the researchers' comment that amalgam is acceptable for use in children.
Abstract / Excerpt:
“In this study, children who received dental restorative treatment with amalgam did not, on average, have statistically significant differences in neurobehavioral assessments or in nerve conduction velocity when compared with children who received resin composite materials without amalgam. These findings, combined with the trend of higher treatment need later among those receiving composite, suggest that amalgam should remain a viable dental restorative option for children.”
Citation:
DeRouen TA, Martin MD, Leroux BG, Townes BD, Woods JS, Leitão J, Castro-Caldas A, et al. Neurobehavioral effects of dental amalgam in children: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2006; 295(15):1784-1792.