Abstract
Background
In chronic inflammation caused by dental amalgam fillings and stainless-steel crowns (SSC), host cells produce cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1). In line with these findings, the present study evaluated the effects of dental amalgam fillings and SSC on the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α cytokines in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of children.
Methods
This repeated measures observational study targeted 34 children aged 6 to 9 who were candidates for two-surface amalgam filling or SSC for primary mandibular molars. Participants were divided into two groups: amalgam filling and SSC. Healthy contralateral teeth with no caries served as controls. GCF samples were collected at baseline (before treatment), 7 days post-treatment, and 21 days post-treatment using paper points. The levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the GCF samples were measured using commercially available ELISA kits.
Results
TNF-α levels significantly decreased after one week in the SSC group compared to the dental amalgam group (p = 0.017). The level of IL-1β increased in both the amalgam filling (p = 0.029) and SSC (p = 0.046) groups during the same period. The levels of IL-1β (p = 0.006) and TNF-α (p = 0.029) were significantly different between the two groups over time.
Conclusions
IL-1β and TNF-α cytokines can serve as biomarkers for inflammation induced by dental amalgam fillings and SSCs in children. Significant differences were observed between the two groups, particularly in the short-term, but the effects converged over three weeks.