BPA, also known as Bisphenol A, is an organic chemical substance that constitutes the basic unit of high-performance polymers and coatings, mainly polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. The substance is usually present in hard and transparent plastic products, found in baby bottles, jars, pacifiers, plates, cutlery and inside canned goods.
Studies demonstrate the harmful potential of Bisphenol A to health, with problems such as behavioral disorders, memory and also an increased risk of precocious puberty, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. BPA is a xenoestrogen, which means that it confuses cell receptors in the body and behaves similarly to natural estrogens. For this reason, it is considered an endocrine disruptor (ED). These substances, in general, unbalance the endocrine system, modifying the hormonal system.
Although the amount of BPA released into saliva by resinous materials is thousands of times inferior to the safe limit dose, there is a tendency to remove BPA from restorative dental products. In the dental field, BPA is not used directly, but its derivatives.
“They are key components of polymeric materials that, when degraded, can generate a peak in the release of BPA in the body”, explains Rodrigo Reis, PhD in dentistry, master of science in restorative dentistry and biomaterials, postgraduate in implantology and with training in dental implant improvement.
According to him, international scientific committees consider the dosage of BPA released to be insignificant and inferior to the exposure via other sources. “Groups at higher risk for endocrine disruptors, such as pregnant women and children, and individuals concerned about the topic will certainly prefer BPA-free materials, considering one less factor of concern,” he points out.
Adhering to the trend of BPA free materials, FGM Dental Group, a leader in sales of tooth whiteners in several countries, also has BPA-free products, such as the universal chroma composite Vittra APS Unique, the premium composite Vittra APS and the enamel and dentin adhesives, Ambar, Ambar APS and Ambar Universal APS.
“Vittra APS has in its formulation the monomers that are synthesized from this compound, which complies with international regulatory bodies. The composite’s organic base has UDMA and TEGDMA-type monomers, which do not release BPA in saliva”, explains Friedrich Georg Mittelstädt, FGM’s technical director.
