We've all heard the news stories about lead found in toys imported from China. WBNS, a Columbus, OH, TV station, recently investigated the presence of lead in dental crowns, bridges and dentures produced in Asia. The station's 10 Investigates team began looking into this tory after a patient, based on the results of testing by NLS Analytical, sued her dentist over the presence of lead in her dental crown. The station found that most dentists rely on outside labs to make their crowns, and that these labs increasingly outsource their work to India, Mexico and China. To check the safety of crowns imported from China, the team obtained eight crowns from four labs in China that advertise in industry magazines. Using a hand-held, nondestructive device that screens for lead, the reporters identified one crown as being positive for lead.
