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Member suggestions
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
free, base metal alloys) appears on the ADA Accepted listing. A more important issue, I believe, is the p o te n tia l to x ic ity of b e ry lliu m containing alloys and the increased cor rosion rates associated with the addition of beryllium to Ni-Cr alloys. These factors outweigh any beneficial effects of beryl lium to the dental laboratory; in 1972, Austenal Dental, Inc (formerly Howm edica, Inc) e lim in ate d berylliumcontaining alloys from its product line. RONALD DUDEK AUSTENAL DENTAL, INC CHICAGO
□ Author’s comment; It is true that the clinical and laboratory test data that need
among these “experts” as to what should constitute porcelain-metal compatibility, the committee has not been able to settle on a specification in more than 10 years of meeting. With such a diversity of opin ion, it is not surprising to find at least one alloy on the current Acceptable list that is notoriously poor in porcelain-metal compatibility. At times, the documentation submitted for Acceptance can be awesome. One alloy manufacturer advertises “ documen tation weighing over 6 lb, more than 300 pages long, with 146 illustrations. It took 4 years and it was worth it!” In regard to Mr. Dudek’s statement about beryllium in casting alloys, porce lain bond strength is indeed “question able” with beryllium-free alloys as many form excessive oxide at elevated tempera tures. However, there are exceptions; Mr. Dudek feels that N-P2 is one of these. I have no data to the contrary. However, in terms of castability and yield strength, qualities that are usually enhanced by be ryllium, N-P2 compares unfavorably to most nickel-chromium-beryllium alloys.
tiveness of a product where specifications do not exist. As a result, the council be lieves that the Certification and Accep tance Programs are basically equivalent in that products submitted and evaluated under either program can be considered safe and useful for the dental profession and the consumer. W AYNE T. WOZNIAK, PhD ASSISTANT SECRETARY COUNCIL ON DENTAL MATERIALS, INSTRUMENTS, AND EQUIPMENT
Dental heroes □ On a positive note, I ’d like to share this material from an article in The Irish Times (July). The writer of the newspaper article re ferred to the nonsporting heroes of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Accord ing to the writer, “Anyone who has been watching the games on late-night and early-morning TV will agree that the title must go to the dental profession of America and that these are the ‘Fluoride Games.’ “By far the most significant phenome non so far has been the American Victory Smile. The AVS takes place to the martial m usic of the Star-Spangled Banner; healthy young red-blooded Americans solemnly place their right hand to their left breasts and expose, to an estimated two b illio n view ers, th e ir rows of perfectly-polished, uniformly-spaced and brightly gleaming teeth. Unerringly, the producer moves in for a close-up of the dazzling dentistry . . . do not adjust the brightness button.” F. ROBERT WILKIN, DDS LINCOLNWOOD, IL
‘Pizza palatini?’
to be submitted for an ADA Acceptance could outweigh ADA Certification, as the Acceptance guidelines do include the functional requirements discussed on page 960 of my article. However, there is no assurance that such is the case, as there is no standard for Acceptance analogous to that for Certification. As I personally participated in the Acceptance program as an “expert” reviewer, I can state that there is considerable potential for varia tion in the Acceptance criteria attribut able to the knowledge and beliefs of the reviewer. Many members of the ANSI Porcelain-Metal Subcommittee, of which I am a member, have also participated as reviewers. Because of disagreement 686 ■ JADA, Vol. 109, November 1984
In terms of toxicity, perhaps Mr. Dudek would care to compare the toxicity of about 2 weight % beryllium (found in many nickel-chromium-beryllium alloys) with the toxicity of about 7.5% gallium found in N-P2. RAYMOND L. BERTOLOTTI, PhD, DDS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
□ Council’s comment; The Acceptance program of the Council on Dental Mate rials, Instruments, and Equipm ent is based on the submission of adequate clin ical, laboratory, and biologic investiga tions to demonstrate the safety and effec-
□ In regard to the entity you called “pizza palate” (Letters, August), we have seen this for years in the mouths of our pa tients, and have even experienced it in our own. We have named it “pizza palatini” as we think that is a more euphonious term. We suggest this as a better name for the condition. HERBERT RINKOFF, DDS MOUNT KISCO, NY
Member suggestions □ I agree with Dr. Allen H in d in ’s letter (August) “Membership concerns.” Some of the areas that the members would like the ADA to work on include education for the public as well as for the profession, and equality of licensure for members. Yes, licensing through reciprocity or credentialling time has come. RON HALLMARK, DDS MEMPHIS, TN
free, base metal alloys) appears on the ADA Accepted listing. A more important issue, I believe, is the p o te n tia l to x ic ity of b e ry lliu m containing alloys and the increased cor rosion rates associated with the addition of beryllium to Ni-Cr alloys. These factors outweigh any beneficial effects of beryl lium to the dental laboratory; in 1972, Austenal Dental, Inc (formerly Howm edica, Inc) e lim in ate d berylliumcontaining alloys from its product line. RONALD DUDEK AUSTENAL DENTAL, INC CHICAGO
□ Author’s comment; It is true that the clinical and laboratory test data that need
among these “experts” as to what should constitute porcelain-metal compatibility, the committee has not been able to settle on a specification in more than 10 years of meeting. With such a diversity of opin ion, it is not surprising to find at least one alloy on the current Acceptable list that is notoriously poor in porcelain-metal compatibility. At times, the documentation submitted for Acceptance can be awesome. One alloy manufacturer advertises “ documen tation weighing over 6 lb, more than 300 pages long, with 146 illustrations. It took 4 years and it was worth it!” In regard to Mr. Dudek’s statement about beryllium in casting alloys, porce lain bond strength is indeed “question able” with beryllium-free alloys as many form excessive oxide at elevated tempera tures. However, there are exceptions; Mr. Dudek feels that N-P2 is one of these. I have no data to the contrary. However, in terms of castability and yield strength, qualities that are usually enhanced by be ryllium, N-P2 compares unfavorably to most nickel-chromium-beryllium alloys.
tiveness of a product where specifications do not exist. As a result, the council be lieves that the Certification and Accep tance Programs are basically equivalent in that products submitted and evaluated under either program can be considered safe and useful for the dental profession and the consumer. W AYNE T. WOZNIAK, PhD ASSISTANT SECRETARY COUNCIL ON DENTAL MATERIALS, INSTRUMENTS, AND EQUIPMENT
Dental heroes □ On a positive note, I ’d like to share this material from an article in The Irish Times (July). The writer of the newspaper article re ferred to the nonsporting heroes of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Accord ing to the writer, “Anyone who has been watching the games on late-night and early-morning TV will agree that the title must go to the dental profession of America and that these are the ‘Fluoride Games.’ “By far the most significant phenome non so far has been the American Victory Smile. The AVS takes place to the martial m usic of the Star-Spangled Banner; healthy young red-blooded Americans solemnly place their right hand to their left breasts and expose, to an estimated two b illio n view ers, th e ir rows of perfectly-polished, uniformly-spaced and brightly gleaming teeth. Unerringly, the producer moves in for a close-up of the dazzling dentistry . . . do not adjust the brightness button.” F. ROBERT WILKIN, DDS LINCOLNWOOD, IL
‘Pizza palatini?’
to be submitted for an ADA Acceptance could outweigh ADA Certification, as the Acceptance guidelines do include the functional requirements discussed on page 960 of my article. However, there is no assurance that such is the case, as there is no standard for Acceptance analogous to that for Certification. As I personally participated in the Acceptance program as an “expert” reviewer, I can state that there is considerable potential for varia tion in the Acceptance criteria attribut able to the knowledge and beliefs of the reviewer. Many members of the ANSI Porcelain-Metal Subcommittee, of which I am a member, have also participated as reviewers. Because of disagreement 686 ■ JADA, Vol. 109, November 1984
In terms of toxicity, perhaps Mr. Dudek would care to compare the toxicity of about 2 weight % beryllium (found in many nickel-chromium-beryllium alloys) with the toxicity of about 7.5% gallium found in N-P2. RAYMOND L. BERTOLOTTI, PhD, DDS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
□ Council’s comment; The Acceptance program of the Council on Dental Mate rials, Instruments, and Equipm ent is based on the submission of adequate clin ical, laboratory, and biologic investiga tions to demonstrate the safety and effec-
□ In regard to the entity you called “pizza palate” (Letters, August), we have seen this for years in the mouths of our pa tients, and have even experienced it in our own. We have named it “pizza palatini” as we think that is a more euphonious term. We suggest this as a better name for the condition. HERBERT RINKOFF, DDS MOUNT KISCO, NY
Member suggestions □ I agree with Dr. Allen H in d in ’s letter (August) “Membership concerns.” Some of the areas that the members would like the ADA to work on include education for the public as well as for the profession, and equality of licensure for members. Yes, licensing through reciprocity or credentialling time has come. RON HALLMARK, DDS MEMPHIS, TN