Effect of RF EMF from mobile phones on nickel release from orthodontic brackets: An in vitro study

2018 · Harm · Low evidence

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HarmLow evidencePaper 2065

Twenty stainless steel orthodontic brackets were immersed in artificial saliva for 6 months; the exposed group (GSM 900 MHz, SAR 2.287 W/kg, 4 hours) had higher mean nickel levels in saliva (11.95 μg/L) than the non-exposed group (2.89 μg/L), with a statistic…

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2018

Study typein_vitro

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Effect of RF EMF from mobile phones on nickel release from orthodontic brackets: An in vitro study Seyed Mohammad S, Mortazavi J, Paknahad M, Khaleghi I, Eghlidospour M. Effect of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFS) from mobile phones on nickel release from orthodontic brackets: An in vitro study. International Orthodontics, Available online 12 July 2018. Summary Background The worldwide dramatic increase in the use of cell phones has generated great concerns about their potential adverse health effects. Objective The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF- EMFs) emitted from mobile phones on the level of nickel release from orthodontic brackets. Methods Twenty stainless steel brackets were divided randomly into experimental and control groups (n = 10). Brackets were immersed in artificial saliva at 37 °C for 6 months. Experimental group were exposed to GSM 900 MHz RF-EMFs emitted from a mobile phone stimulator for 4 hours. The specific absorption rate (SAR) was 2.287 W/kg. The concentration of nickel in the artificial saliva in both groups was evaluated by using the cold-vapour atomic absorption spectrometry. The Mann-Whitney test was used to assess significant differences in nickel release between the exposed and non-exposed groups. Results The mean nickel levels in the exposed and non-exposed groups were 11.95 and 2.89 μg/l, respectively. This difference between the concentrations of nickel in the artificial saliva of these groups was statistically significant (P = 0.001). Conclusion Exposure to RF-EMFs emitted from mobile phones can lead to human exposure to higher levels of nickel in saliva in patients with orthodontic appliances. As nickel exposure can lead to allergic reaction in humans and considering this point that about 10-20% of the population can be hypersensitive to nickel, further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) emitted from common devices such as mobile phones or Wi-Fi routers on the level of nickel release from orthodontic brackets. sciencedirect.com

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typein_vitro

Effect directionharm

PopulationNot supplied

Sample size20

ExposureRF · 900 MHz · 2.287 W/kg · 4 hours

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: unknown

Main findings

Outcomes measured

Nickel release from orthodontic brackets (nickel concentration in artificial saliva, μg/L)

Limitations

In vitro study using artificial saliva and brackets; findings may not directly translate to in vivo patient exposure.
Small sample size (n=20; 10 per group).
Exposure described as 4 hours using a mobile phone stimulator; other real-world usage patterns/devices not assessed.

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "in_vitro",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": 900,
    "sar_wkg": 2.287,
    "duration": "4 hours"
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": 20,
  "outcomes": [
    "Nickel release from orthodontic brackets (nickel concentration in artificial saliva, μg/L)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Twenty stainless steel orthodontic brackets were immersed in artificial saliva for 6 months; the exposed group (GSM 900 MHz, SAR 2.287 W/kg, 4 hours) had higher mean nickel levels in saliva (11.95 μg/L) than the non-exposed group (2.89 μg/L), with a statistically significant difference (P = 0.001).",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "In vitro study using artificial saliva and brackets; findings may not directly translate to in vivo patient exposure.",
    "Small sample size (n=20; 10 per group).",
    "Exposure described as 4 hours using a mobile phone stimulator; other real-world usage patterns/devices not assessed."
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "unknown",
  "keywords": [
    "RF-EMF",
    "mobile phones",
    "GSM 900 MHz",
    "SAR",
    "nickel release",
    "orthodontic brackets",
    "artificial saliva",
    "in vitro"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: Not supplied
PubMed: Not supplied

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