Dental caries are found in 94% of adults and 45% of children and adolescents in the United States. Bonding resin materials, or dental sealants, to the biting surfaces of teeth can prevent many carious lesions. In 1996, a study by Olea et al.,reported that there were high levels of an estrogenic compound, bisphenol A (BPA), in saliva samples collected for one hour after placement of dental sealants. BPA, a widely used component of plastics, is used in the synthesis of many dental sealants and other dental materials. There have been many concerns about methodologies of the Olea study, but it is the only in vivo investigation of this topic to date. Given the wide- spread use of dental sealants and their tremendous clinical benefit, NIDCR felt it was necessary to conduct an appropriate, well- controlled in vivo study to address this issue. This study is being conducted in collaboration with the United States Naval Research Institute at the Great Lakes Naval Training Facility, Great Lakes, Illinois. Levels of BPA and another estrogenic compound, bisphenol A - dimethacrylate, will be determined in saliva and blood before and after the placement of dental sealants. These sealants will be placed on the teeth of the recruits according to their clinical need. The objective of the study is to determine levels of BPA and other dental sealant components in saliva after placement of dental sealants. Accurate in vivo data are needed before any recommendations can be made. This contract is for the laboratory analyses of saliva and sera samples from this study.
