6. Amalgam Flashcards
Dental amalgam is an alloy formed by the reaction on (2)
Mercury (liquid)
Powder (silver, tin, copper, other metals)
Classifications of amalgam are based on (2)
Composition
Particle shape and size
Types of compositions of amalgam (2)
Traditional
Copper-enriched
Function of silver and tin in amalgam powder (2)
Intermetallic
Gamma phase reacts with mercury liquid to form amalgam
Function of copper in amalgam powder
Increases strength and hardness
Function of zinc in amalgam powder
Scavenger during production - oxidises preferentially and slag formed/removed
Most products are now zinc free
Function of mercury in amalgam powder
Few particles - pre-amalgamated alloys - increases reaction speed
Function of mercury in amalgam liquid
Reacts with other metals Triple distilled (very pure)
Types of particles in amalgam (2)
Lathe cut
Spherical, spheroidal
Features of lathe cut amalgam particles (2)
Coarse, medium, fine
Formed by filling ingots
Features of spherical amalgam particles (2)
Range of particle sizes
Formed by spraying molten metal into inert atmosphere
Amalgam setting reaction
Ag3Sn + Hg –> Ag3Sn + Ag2Hg3 + Sn7Hg9
Amalgam setting reaction gamma
Gamma –> gamma + gamma 1 + gamma 2
Amalgam setting reaction particle types
Powder + liquid –> unreacted particles + amalgam matrix
Gamma phase shows (2)
Good strength
Good corrosion resistance
Gamma 1 shows
Good corrosion resistance
Gamma 2 shows (2)
Weak strength
Weak corrosion resistance
Effect of voids on strength and corrosion (2)
Decrease strength
Increase corrosion
Effect of removing gamma 2 on amalgam
Amalgam will be made stronger
Tensile strengths of amalgam components (4)
Gamma - 170MPa
Amalgam - 60MPa
Gamma 1 - 30MPa
Gamma 2 - 20MPa
Types of setting dimensional changes of amalgam (2)
Traditional
Modern
Features of traditional amalgam setting changes (2)
Initial contraction - solution of alloy particles in Hg
Expansion - gamma 1 crystallisation
Features of modern amalgam setting changes (2)
sSmall contraction
Solid solution of Hg in Ag3Sn
Why are amalgam materials now usually zinc free
Due to reaction of zinc with saliva/blood
Reaction of zinc with saliva/blood
Zn + H2O –> ZnO + H2
Effects of hydrogen gas formed within amalgam (3)
Pressure build-up causes expansion
Downward pressure causes pulpal pain
Upward pressure causes the restoration to protrude
Compressive strength of traditional amalgam (2)
Early (<1hr) strength is quite poor
Late (>24hrs) strength is sufficient
Features of amalgam abrasion resistance (2)
High - suitable for posterior teeth
Too high for deciduous teeth
Factors that decrease amalgam strength (5)
Under mixing
Mercury content after condensation is too high
Condensation pressure is too low
Slow rate of packing (increments do not bond)
Corrosion
Definition of creep (2)
When a material is repeatedly stressed for long periods at low stress levels (stress below elastic limit)
It may flow, resulting in permanent deformation
What materials does creep effect (4)
Amalgam
Alloys
Waxes
Plastics
Is creep high or low in amalgam and why
High in traditional materials because amalgam is viscoelastic
Marginal integrity depends on (3)
Creep
Cavity design
Corrosion
Biocompatibility issues of amalgam (2)
Concerns about mercury toxicity
Disposal of mercury and amalgam
Thermal propertjes of amalgam (2)
High thermal expansion (3x greater than tooth tissue)
High thermal conductivity (liners required in deep cavities)
Bonding mechanism of amalgam
Mechanical retention (from cavity design)
Handling properties of amalgam
Acceptable mixing, working and setting times
Must have thick viscosity (packed
Features of amalgam viscosity (2)
Must be thick enough to be packed and hold its shape in cavities
Must be viscous enough to adapt (not flow) to cavity shape
Other amalgam properties (5)
Poor aesthetics Radiopaque Not anticariogenic Smooth surfaces if polished well Modern materials tend to have net overall shrinkage (ditching)
Features of gamma 2 phase (2)
Most electronegative
Weakens material, particularly at margins
Method for increasing strength and decreasing corrosion of gamma 2 phase
Silver copper is mixed with gamma 2, increasing strength and decreasing corrosion
Methods of reducing corrosion (3)
Mixing AgCu with gamma 2
Polishing margins
Avoiding galvanic cells
Advantages of spherical particles (5)
Less mercury required Higher tensile strength Higher early compressive strength Less sensitive to condensation Easier to carve
Features of copper-enriched alloys of amalgam (2)
Non-gamma 2/higher copper alloys
Contain Cu >6%
Types of copper-enriched amalgam (2)
Dispersion modified (original) Single composition
Features of dispersion modified type of copper-enriched amalgam (2)
Originally Ag-Cu spheres
Originally conventional lathe-cut alloys
Features of single composition dispersed alloys (3)
Spheres and lathe-cut particles of the same composition
Powder - Ag-Sn-Cu
Copper - 12-30%
Setting reaction of dispersion modified copper-enriched amalgam (2)
Gamma + Hg –> gamma + gamma 1 + gamm 2
Gamma 2 + Ag-Cu –> Cu6Sn5 + gamma 1
Setting reaction of single composition copper-enriched amalgam (2)
Ag-Sn-Cu + Hg –> Ag-Sn-Cu + gamma 1 + Cu6Sn5
Benefits of copper-enriched amalgam (4)
Higher early strength
Less creep
Higher corrosion resistance
Increased durability of margins
Creep (%) of amalgam types (4)
Traditional lathe-cut - 6.3%
Traditional spherical - 1.1%
Cu-enriched dispersion modified - 0.46%
Cu-enrinched single composition - 0.07%
Compressive strength of amalgam types after one day (4)
Traditional lathe-cut - 45MPa
Traditional spherical - 120MPa
Cu-enriched dispersion modified - 118MPa
Cu-enrinched single composition - 272MPa
Compressive strength of amalgam types after seven days (4)
Traditional lathe-cut - 302MPa
Traditional spherical - 370MPa
Cu-enriched dispersion modified - 387MPa
Cu-enrinched single composition - 485MPa
Advantages of amalgam (2)
Strong
User friendly
Disadvantages of amalgam (4)
Corrosion
Leakage (does not bond)
Poor aesthetics
Mercury (perceived toxicity and environmental impact)
Types of amalgam and decision between them (3)
Encapsulated - Hg hygiene
Traditional alloys - served well (lifetime 10+yes; average 4-5yrs)
Copper-enriched - superior material
Type of amalgam used in GDH
Permite
Reasons for Permite amalgam use in GDH (5)
High compressive strength Low microleakage Small dimension changes Low creep High tensile strength
Compressive strengths of amalgam and hybrid composite (2)
Amalgam - 350MPa
Hybrid composite - 300MPa
Amalgam > hybrid composite
Tensile strengths of amalgam and hybrid composite (2)
Amalgam - 60MPa
Hybrid composite - 50MPa
Amalgam > hybrid composite
Elastic modulus’s of amalgam and hybrid composite (2)
Amalgam - 30GPa
Hybrid composite - 14GPa
Amalgam > hybrid composite
Hardness of amalgam and hybrid composite (2)
Amalgam - 100VHN
Hybrid composite - 90VHN
Amalgam > hybrid composite
Posterior failure rate of composite and amalgam after 8yrs (2)
Amalgam - 5.8% All composites - 13.7% Coarse hybrid composite - 9.3% Fine hybrid composite - 15.4% Microfilled composite - 16.4%