OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to integrate existing knowledge of in vitro strength of post-and-cores and masticatory loading to arrive at longevity estimates for post-and-core restorations when subjected to clinically relevant loads. METHODS A biomechanical model was developed to predict the in vivo longevity. This method was applied to direct post-and-core restorations with amalgam or...

OBJECTIVE Preservation of unsupported occlusal enamel after removal of underlying carious dentin may result in maintenance of aesthetics as well as wear resistance against the opposing enamel. This study investigates the influence of different restorative materials and bonding agents on reinforcement of unsupported enamel in molars and compares it with sound dentin. MATERIALS AND METHODS In t...

AIM To estimate the quantity of dental amalgam that Ontario dentists release into waste water. METHODS Information from a self-administered postal survey of Ontario dentists was combined with the results of other experiments on the weight of amalgam restorations and the quantity of amalgam waste that bypasses solids separators in dental offices. Algorithms were developed to compute the quanti...

OBJECTIVES To determine contact allergies in patients with oral lichen planus and to monitor the effect of partial or complete replacement of amalgam fillings following a positive patch test reaction to ammoniated mercury, metallic mercury, or amalgam. DESIGN In group A (20 patients), the oral lesions were confined to areas in close contact with amalgam fillings. In group B (20 patients), the...

BACKGROUND Urinary mercury (U-Hg) excretion is a commonly used biomarker for mercury exposure from dental amalgam restorations. OBJECTIVES Our goal was to determine the most efficient measure of dental amalgam exposure for use in analyses concerning U-Hg in children. METHODS We analyzed time-sensitive longitudinal amalgam exposure data in children randomized to amalgam restorations (n = 267...

Amalgam tattoos are common exogenous pigmented lesions of the oral mucosa occurring mainly by inadvertent placement of amalgam particles into soft tissues. The diagnosis of amalgam tattoo is simple, usually based on clinical findings associated with presence or history of amalgam fillings removal. Intraoral X-rays may be helpful in detecting amalgam-related radiopacity. In cases where amalgam t...

BACKGROUND The intense development of adhesive restorative materials and parents' preferences for esthetic restorations prompt clinicians to use alternative restorative materials for primary molars. Amalgam, however, is the choice of material when it comes to occlusal stress bearing areas, either in primary or permanent molars. To overcome the drawbacks of amalgam and restorative adhesive mater...

Dentists all over the world remove millions of amalgam fillings every day, with no regard for the possible mercury exposure that can result from grinding them out. Much of the time, a new amalgam filling goes back in place of the old one. The dental establishment claims that amalgam is a stable material, that emits little or no mercury, but then turns around and blames the mercury–free dentists...

BACKGROUND Combined amalgam-composite restorations have been used through many years to benefit from the advantages of both dental amalgam and composite resin. Two variations have been mentioned for this technique, this study investigated the fracture resistance of maxillary premolar teeth with extended mesio-occluso-distal (MOD) cavities, restored with the two variations of combined amalgam-co...

Dentists all over the world remove millions of amalgam fillings every day, with no regard for the possible mercury exposure that can result from grinding them out. Much of the time, a new amalgam filling goes back in place of the old one. The dental establishment claims that amalgam is a stable material, that emits little or no mercury, but then turns around and blames the mercury–free dentists...