The effect of 3 T MRI on microleakage of amalgam restorations

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of 3 T magnetic field on microleakage of amalgam restorations containing three different types of silver (Ag). Methods: 60 extracted teeth were restored with three different types of amalgam filling materials. Restored teeth were sectioned mesiodistally and divided into experimental and control groups. Experimental groups were exposed to a magnetic field of 3 T for 20 min. All samples were plunged into 2% basic fuchsin solution and examined under a digital microscope by three different observers with regard to microleakage. Results: Statistical analysis showed significant differences in microleakage between the groups exposed to MRI and controls, whereas differences in microleakage between amalgam types were insignificant. Conclusions: The primary risk of MRI systems arises from the effects of its strong magnetic field on objects containing ferromagnetic materials. An MRI of 1.5 T is known to be safe for amalgam restorations. However, our research indicates that MRI is not completely devoid of any effects on amalgam restorations.