BPA is widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics, polyacrylate resins, and epoxy resins. Although BPA is not used in the manufacture of dental materials, it is used in the synthesis of molecules common to dental resins.
This is of some concern, especially since these materials are used for fillings and adhesives, which are often recommended for children at high risk of decay. Current research indicates the possibility that BPA may affect how reproductive systems and brains develop. Exposure to this chemical has also been linked to wide ranging problems, including early puberty, metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, heart disease, infertility, thyroid dysfunction, and some cancers.
Minute amounts of BPA may seep from freshly polymerized resin, contributing to a small increase in BPA levels in saliva and urine after procedures using resin-based dental materials, usually occurring within 24-48 hours post-placement. Inadequate curing and exposing resin-based materials to saliva can cause BPA exposure.
In our clinic, we use only BPA- and fluoride-free dental filling materials. (Yes, some composites contain fluoride, too.)
An alternative is to use ceramic materials. Although not used as a tooth filling material, it is broadly biocompatible, BPA-free, and can be used for inlays, onlays, and crowns.
Most BPA exposure happens when the fillings or sealants are placed, so there is little risk to you or your child if you have already had fillings or sealants that aren’t BPA-free. Unlike with mercury amalgam, there’s little to gain by removing teeth treated with filling materials containing trace BPA. Research has consistently shown that while initial BPA levels may be elevated immediately after treatment, they quickly plummet. One such study found that salivary BPA levels were close to zero 7 days after treatment.
References
FDI World Dental Federation (2013). FDI policy statement on bisphenol-A in dental restorative and preventive materials. Adopted by the FDI General Assembly: 30 August 2013 – Istanbul, Turkey. International dental journal, 63(6), 284. https://doi.org/10.1111/idj.12070
Lopes‐Rocha L, Ribeiro‐Gonçalves L, Henriques B, et al. An integrative review on the toxicity of Bisphenol A (BPA) released from resin composites used in dentistry. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials 2021;109(11):1942-52.
Colombo S, Beretta M, Ferrazzano G, Paglia L. Dental sealants part 4: Bisphenol A: What dentists should know. European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2018;19(4):333-34.
Marzouk T, Sathyanarayana S, Kim AS, Seminario AL, McKinney CM. A Systematic Review of Exposure to Bisphenol A from Dental Treatment. JDR Clin Trans Res 2019;4(2):106-15.
McKinney CM, Leroux BG, Seminario AL, et al. A Prospective Cohort Study of Bisphenol A Exposure from Dental Treatment. J Dent Res 2020:22034520934725.
Lofroth M, Ghasemimehr M, Falk A, Vult von Steyern P. Bisphenol A in dental materials – existence, leakage and biological effects. Heliyon 2019;5(5):e01711.
