Amalgam and Seebeck Coefficient

Keith P Walsh · 2003-11-30T15:10:30+00:00

The following is my reply to the question as to why one might wish tomeasure the Seebeck coefficient of a typical dental amalgam, as posed byProfessor Richard van Noort, dental Materials scientist at theUniversity of Sheffield, UK.****************START*******************************----- Original Message -----From: "R Van Noort" To: "Keith P Walsh" Cc: Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2003 4:07 PMSubject: Re: The Electrical Properties of Dental AmalgamsDear Professor van Noort,It has been demonstrated experimentally that dental amalgams generateelectrical potentials with magnitudes of up to 350 millivolts (slightlymore than one third of a volt). See: it appears that experimental investigations to determinewhether or not these potentials are able to dissipate electrical energythrough the nerves in people's heads have never been carried out.In his "Master of Dental Surgery" thesis Peter Sheridan asserts that,"Electrical Reading of Restorations is particularly worthless", on thegrounds that, "there is no consensus as to what these devices areactually measuring". See: disagree with this argument.Metal amalgam dental fillings are placed in children's teeth.I think that it is therefore more consistent with the establishedprinciples of scientific understanding, and incumbent upon the dentalprofession, that further investigations into the electrical behaviour ofamalgams should be carried out until there IS consensus regarding whatthese measurements are telling us.In my experience, the one aspect of the electrical behaviour of dentalamalgam which dentists and dental material scientists feel mostconfident in being able to discuss is its electrochemical behaviour.Briefly, this is that the exposed surfaces of a newly placed amalgamtarnish as the result of a small degree of electrochemical corrosion.This action produces a thin layer of metal oxide (and/or chloride) whichadheres to the surface and effectively prevents further electrochemicalcorrosion from taking place.However, it appears...

Nov 30, 2003 24 Replies

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Joel M. Eichen D.D.S. 22 years ago

REPLY:

Should be posted at alt.carborundum.discussions

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jbuch 22 years ago

Same old cheap tricks.

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Joel M. Eichen D.D.S. 22 years ago

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Paul 9 years ago

replying to Keith P Walsh, Paul wrote: I have been severely damaged by the electrical activity of dental amalgam fillings and I completely agree with Keith P Walsh , these dentists are a bunch of unscientific quacks

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