HUMAN DENTAL-PULP AND GINGIVAL TISSUE AFTER STATIC MAGNETIC-FIELD EXPOSURE

The aim of this intra-individual study was to examine human dental pulp and gingival tissue after exposure to static magnetic fields generated by orthodontic samarium-cobalt magnets. In seven individuals, aged between 11.5 and 17.5 years, the maxillary first premolars and immediately adjacent gingival tissues were exposed to a static magnetic field from a bonded magnet on one side (test) and a demagnetized magnet was used as a control on the contralateral side. After a period of 8 weeks the test and control teeth were clinically examined regarding gingival conditions, then biopsies of the buccal gingival tissues were taken and the maxillary first premolars were extracted. The teeth and the tissue biopsies were examined histologically. The static magnetic field exposure (flux density) of the coronal pulp sections on the test sides ranged between 100 and 150 Gauss, and the exposure of the buccal gingival tissues ranged between 200 and 900 Gauss. The contralateral control tissues were exposed to flux density values at the level of the natural magnetic field on earth (0.3-0.6 Gauss). Static magnetic fields produced by orally placed orthodontic rare earth magnets did not result in any change in human dental pulp or gingival tissue adjacent to the magnets. There was no difference in clinical gingival conditions between test and control sites.