Amalgam Quiz Flashcards
Amalgam capsule we use:
- Brand
- Company
- Type of alloy
- Permite C
- SDI
- Admixed (blend of lathe cut and spherical particles)
In clinic, the gray-capped amalgam capsules are ____ while the green-capped amalgam capsules are ____
Regular set
Extended carving time (ECT)
Define amalgam activation:
Push plunger down to rupture membrane and allow mercury in one compartment to come in contact with powdered alloy
Define trituration
Process by which mercury is allowed to react with alloy powder. Removes the oxide coating and wets each particle of alloy with mercury.
(Hand trituration or mechanical trituration/amalgamator)
List steps of amalgam placement:
- Turn on amalgamator and set to 7 seconds
- Activate capsule
- Triturate amalgam for recommended time according to manufacturer instructions
- Dump mix into dappen dish
- Use amalgam carrier to transfer increments into preparation (use biggest end that can fit into prep)
- Spread first increment on pulpal floor
- Condense starting with smallest condenser and using larger condensers with following increments
- Overfill the final increment and condense with largest condenser to seal the margins
- Carefully begin carving anatomy of tooth and removing flash
- Evaluate restoration (check for flash, underfilled, voids, anatomy)
- Remove and check rubber dam
- Check occlusion
Proper trituration yields what qualities of amalgam?
- Uniform consistent mass
- Shiny surface
- Smooth consistency
- Optimal mechanical properties, compressive strength, tensile strength
- Optimal physical properties
Over-trituration of amalgam yields what qualities?
- Very bright/shiny luster
- Brittle internally
- Decreases final strength
- Sets prematurely
- Excess matrix is formed
Under trituration of amalgam yields what qualities?
- Grainy
- Crumble and dull
- Reduced strength
- Hard to handle
Define condensation
The process of compressing the alloy into the tooth preparation and eliminating all voids (>5-10 lbs. pressure)
What is the purpose of condensation?
- Secure adaptation of amalgam to the walls, line angles, and margins
- Maintains homogeneity and compactness of amalgam by minimizing voids
- Expressing the residual mercury to the surface to form mercury rich matrix that will be carved out later
What are the sizes of our hand condensers?
- Oregon 2 (1.0 and 1.5 mm diameter)
2. Oregon 4 (2.0 and 3.0 mm diameter)
A small condenser has a ____ surface area, ____ condensation pressure, and ____ indications.
A large condenser has a ____ surface area, ____ condensation pressure, and ____ indications
Small
High
Lathe cut
Large
Low
Spherical alloy
What are the condensing/carving times of the follow amalgams:
- Fast Set
- Regular Set
- Slow Set
- Extended Carving Time (ECT)
- 2.5/5.5 min
- 3.5/5.5 min
- 4.5/5.5 min
- 5/7 min
Successful condensation requires the following 5 techniques:
- Dry field (proper isolation)
- Start promptly after trituration
- Use vertical overlapping strokes
- Proper size condenser (make sure amalgam is condensed into all angles of the prep)
- Adequate pressure (looks shiny, sounds crunchy)
Excessive condensation pressure will ___ and ___ the amalgam
Punch through
Perforate
The last increment (overfill) of amalgam should go ____ mm beyond the external outline of the preparation.
1.0
Condensation strokes should be:
Vertical- ___ to the long axis or ___ degrees
Lateral- ___ to the long axis or ___ degrees
Perpendicular
45
Parallel
45
Lateral/horizontal condensation strokes are only used in ____ cases
Class I with extension (buccal/lingual)
Condensation time should generally by completed in ___ mins, otherwise ___ will be created in the already formed matrix
3-4
Cracks
Purpose of carving:
- Reproduce the tooth anatomy and contours
2. Remove the mercury rich matrix
Identify the two types of carving strokes:
- Pull stroke (along cavosurface margin with tip of carver in groove area)
- Push stroke (from tooth to amalgam)
How do you check occlusion?
Use Acufilm marking paper or ribbon in Miller Forceps. Check gently in centric occlusion. Check all excursive movements
Define Ideal Margin.
How do you detect it?
The junction between the external tooth structure and the amalgam is flushed. Crisp cavosurface margin with no excess or deficiencies.
Tactile sensation (run the tip of the explorer along the CSM from tooth to amalgam and vice versa)
Define open margin error, potential problems, detection, and treatment
Break/rift between tooth and amalgam restoration; Not continuous. Can trap food particles and allows passage for microorganisms. Tip of explorer catches when moved in both directions across margin. Replace.
Define submarginal/ditching error, cause, detection, and treatment.
Amalgam does not reach CSM. Caused by carving from amalgam to tooth (wrong direction). Detected by explorer catching from amalgam to tooth but not tooth to amalgam. Replace if ledge is > 0.2 mm, enameloplasty if ledge is < 0.2 mm
Define flash, potential problems, detection, treatment
Excess amalgam at margin. Patient can easily break when biting. Detected by tip of explorer catching from tooth to amalgam and not vice versa. Must remove during carving.
Define overcarving, potential problems
Deep anatomy. Potential submarginal defects (breaks off), no occlusion
Define undercarving, potential problems
Flash left at CSM; Poor occlusal anatomy
Describe the purposes of matrix bands
- Provide a wall against which one can condense amalgam
- Re-establish proximal contact of restoration with adjacent tooth
- Aids in isolation of preparation during fill
- Contains amalgam
- Prevents voids
- Shapes proximal contours