Dental Amalgam - a metal-like restorative material composed of a mixture of silver-tin-copper alloy and mercury 1830s - amalgam was introduced

in the US Amalgam Alloy - Ag-Sn + Cu + Zn Types: a. Low-Copper Amalgam Alloy - contains 2 5% copper - 69.4% Ag, 26.2% Sn, 3.6% Cu, and 0.8% Zn - Conventional Amalgams b. High-Copper Amalgam Alloy - contains 12 30% copper - 60% Ag, 27% Sn, 13% Cu, and 0% Zn c. Spherical Amalgam - contains small, round alloy particles that are mixed with mercury d. Admixed Amalgam - contains irregularly shaped and sized alloy particles, sometimes combined with spherical shapes e. New Amalgam Alloys - materials that can be used to restore a tooth instead of using amalgam - materials with equal or better properties than the amalgam restoration (ex: composite, glass ionomer, cast gold alloys, Gallium alloys) INdication Moderate to large Class I and Class 11 restorations

Class V restorations Temporary caries control restorations Foundations

Contraindication more prominent esthetic of the mouth most small to moderate defects in posterior teeth

Advantages 1. Ease of use 2. High tensile strength 3. Excellent wear resistance 4. Favorable long-term clinical research results 5. Lower cost than for composite restorations 6. Bonded amalgams have "bonding" benefits: Less microleakage Less interfacial staining Slightly increased strength of remaining tooth

structure Minimal postoperative sensitivity Some retention benefits Esthetic benefit of sealing by not permitting the amalgam to discolor the adjacent tooth structure

Disadvantages 1. Noninsulating 2. Nonesthetic 3. Less conservative (more removal of tooth structure during tooth preparation) 4. Weakens tooth structure (unless bonded)

5. More technique sensitive if bonded 6. More difficult tooth preparation 7. Initial marginal leakage' Steps: 1. Trituration 2. Condensation 3. Carving 4. Finishing and Polishing Classification of Dental Amalgam based on: a. amalgam alloy particle geometry and size b. copper content c. zinc content Classification based on particle size and geometry Traditional (or conventional) amalgam alloys were produced by early dental manufacturers, such as S.S. White, and predominated from 1900 until 1970. The basic composition was 65% Ag, 30% Sn, 5% Cu, and less than 1% Zn. Conventional amalgam alloys were commonly classified on this basis of particle size. - lathe-cut particles - Irregular in shape - regular cut, fine cut, and microfine cut Irregular powder particles pack together relatively poorly and require a relatively large amount of mercury (50% to 60% by weight in the mixture) to fill in the spaces. Spherodizing the alloy particles, the particles packed more efficiently and required much less mercury to make a practical mixture (less than 50% by weight). - Increased the fluidity of the mixture by presenting less resistance to particle sliding. Classification based on copper content

copper content > 12% by weight suppressed formation of the phase (Sn-Hg), which was prone to intraoral corrosion - corrosion resistance doubling or tripling of clinical longevity

- Gayler(1930s): copper contents > 6% excessive expansion, and the corrosion reducing effect at higher copper contents was not realized slow setting times - Youdelis added Ag-Cu spheres to conventional amalgam alloy to produce dispersion-hardened amalgams Classification based on zinc content suppress oxidation of the key elements in the alloy zinc oxide film covers the surface of liquid alloy 1% Zn is added. 0.2% to 1% Zn is left in the amalgam alloy at the end (residual zinc) as a result of delayed expansion moisture contamination before setting converted the zinc to zinc oxide hydrogen gas that could expand the amalgam patient pain non-zinc amalgams as an alternative Longevity of zinc-containing amalgam alloys last 20% to 50% longer than zinc-free ones