It looks as though the scientific community may soon be no longer completely ignorant of the thermoelectric behavior of metallic dental restorations.
At the recent XIII International Forum On Thermoelectricity held in Kiev, Ukraine, from 10 to 13 February, Professor Lukian I. Anatychuk, one of the World's leading authorities on thermoelectrics, accepted responsibility for answering questions on the subject of thermoelectric phenomena in metal dental fillings, and undertook to respond in due course to a number of specific questions on the subject which were presented to the forum on Tuesday 12th February.
The questions were posted via live Skype link-up to the forum, and the exchange of messages which lead to Professor Anatychuk's historic undertaking are recorded in Skype as follows:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ hello! type your message here [12/02/2009 12:08:10] Keith P Walsh says: Are metallic dental restorations which consist of dissimilar metals in contact with each other able to generate thermoelectric potentials? [12/02/2009 12:08:54] Keith P Walsh says: And are these potentials large enough to dissipate electrical energy through the nerves in people's heads. [12/02/2009 12:10:58] Keith P Walsh says: Remember that dentists sometimes screw a metal alloy retaining pin into the root socket of a patient's tooth and encase the head of the pin in metal amalgam. And dental restorations are subjected to thermal gradients all the time. [12/02/2009 12:11:28] XIII Forum of Thermoelectricity says: who do you want to address the question? [12/02/2009 12:11:44] Keith P Walsh says: Professor Anatychuk [12/02/2009 12:16:58] Keith P Walsh says: Volta's frog's leg experiment - for two dissimilar conductors in contact with the frog's leg - how big does the temperature differential have to be to make the frog's leg jump? how many degree K - to Prof. Anatychuk [12/02/2009 12:17:05] XIII Forum of Thermoelectricity says: Introduce yourself, please. Your question is accepted. Professor will answer, when will be in a position. [12/02/2009 12:18:56] Keith P Walsh says: My name is Keith Walsh, I am in the UK. I have read that metal dental fillings generate electrical potentials up to 350 milliviolts - is this a thermoelectric potential? [12/02/2009 12:19:41] Keith P Walsh says: my e-mail address is snipped-for-privacy@btinternet.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++It will be interesting to see whether Professor Anatychuk follows established scientific procedure and carries out experimental investigations to measure the thermoelectric behaviors of any metal dental restorations in order to verify his answers, or whether he will choose the entirely unscientific option of simply "declaring" that the thermoelectric properties of such dental restorations cannot possibly be of any significance on the grounds that no-one (including himself) appears to have any idea what these properties actually are.
Does anyone know when the report of the findings of the XIII International Forum On Thermoelectricity is due to be published?
Keith P Walsh
PS, in his paper, "On the discovery of thermoelectricity by Volta.", (Journal of Thermoelectricity, 2004, No.2, p5-10.), Professor L I Anatychuk cites Alessandro Volta's frog's leg experiment (see:
PPS, readers may be interested to visit the website of the International Thermoelectric Society at: