AMALGAM BLUES &

AMALGAM TATTOO

SAYOOJYA M
PG STUDENT
INTRODUCTION

• The bluish black discoloration of the

tooth in which amalgam is used for
a long period of time is referred as
amalgam blue.
• Amalgam tattoo is a gray,blue or
black area of discoloration on the
mucous membrane of mouth due to
entry of amalgam into the soft tissue
 CAUSES
• They are caused due to leaching of corrosion products of
amalgam into the dentinal tubules.
• Sometimes, It can be the Color of underlying amalgam as
seen through translucent enamel when the restoration has no
dentin support such as in undermined cusps, marginal ridges
and regions adjacent to proximal margins.
 MANAGEMENT

• When other aspects of the restoration are sound,

amalgam blues are not indicative of caries, so
restoration is not defective and requires no further
treatment
• Replacement of the restoration may be considered for
esthetics or for areas under heavy functional stress that
may require a cusp capping restoration to prevent
possible tooth fracture.
PREVENTION
• Application of dental Varnish to seal the tubules is must
before amalgam restoration.
AMALGAM TATTOO (FOCAL ARGYRIA)
• Amalgam tattoo is an iatrogenic lesion caused by the
traumatic implantation of amalgam particles into the soft
tissues. it may occur during a tooth extraction, placement of
an amalgam restoration, or amalgam polishing.
 CLINICAL FEATURES
• Amalgam tattoo is the most frequent cause of intraoral
pigmentation and is seen on the gingivae, palate, buccal
mucosa, and tongue.
• The tattoo appears as a slate-grey/black discoloration
that does not change in appearance with time.
IN THE BUCCAL ON THE ALVEOLAR
IN THE PALATE
MUCOSA RIDGE
 DIAGNOSIS
• If there is any doubt about the clinical diagnosis, biopsy is indicated.
• Histological examination will show black particulate foreign material in the
connective tissue that stains collagen fibers.
• If the amalgam particles are sufficiently large, they can be detected on an intraoral
radiograph.

 MANAGEMENT
• No treatment is required apart from establishing the diagnosis.
• Treatment for amalgam tattoos was originally limited to surgery with grafting of
mucosa or gingiva over the previous site of the tattoo.
• Advances in laser technology now allow amalgam tattoos to be removed by the Q-
switched ruby laser.
Thank you