In vivo volt-amperometric characterization of electrochemical phenomena due to metallic restorations in the oral cavity

In conservative and restorative dentistry, as well as in orthodontics, different metals, pure or alloyed are widely used. The introduction of metallic elements in the oral cavity can involve galvanic phenomena due to the contact between the physiological fluids, as saliva and blood, and the metallic restorations. In this way the generation of electrical potential and the circulation of electrical currents can take place, producing pathological consequences. In this paper, we propose a noninvasive method for the volt-amperometric characterization of the galvanic elements in the oral cavity. At first, an experimental activity has been performed for the preliminary quantification of the galvanic phenomena on a population of 90 patients. Then the proposed volt-amperometric method has been applied to 20 patients and the results compared with those obtained with an in vitro measurement procedure.