Aim: To compare marginal seal at tooth-material and material-material interfaces in the proximal box in combined amalgam/composite resin restorations. Methods: Mesio-occlusal-distal (MOD) cavities were prepared in 35 premolars and permanent molars with carbide bur. The distal proximal box was restored with amalgam (Permite, SDI) until reaching the height of pulpal floor. Dental tissues were etc...

OBJECTIVE To determine the amount of amalgam entering the waste stream during removal of dental amalgam restorations. METHODS Dental amalgam restorations were removed from anatomic replica teeth and natural teeth by means of a tungsten carbide bur, a high-speed handpiece and a conventional suction system. The weight of amalgam particles trapped in the primary and secondary solids separators w...

BACKGROUND Mercury vapor poses a known health risk with no clearly established safe level of exposure. Consequently there is debate over whether the level of prolonged exposure to mercury vapor from dental amalgam fillings, combining approximately 50% mercury with other metals, is sufficiently high to represent a risk to health. The objective of our study is to determine if mercury exposure fro...

BACKGROUND Urinary mercury concentrations are widely used as a measure of mercury exposure from dental amalgam fillings. No studies have evaluated the relationship of these measures in a longitudinal context in children. OBJECTIVE We evaluated urinary mercury in children 8-18 years of age in relation to number of amalgam surfaces and time since placement over a 7-year course of amalgam treatm...

BACKGROUND The effect of MRI on microleakage of amalgam restorations is an important health issue that should be considered. If MRI application causes increase of microleakage, amalgam fillings should be reassessed after MRI and replaced if necessary. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to compare the effect of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on microleakage of class II bonded amalgam versus...

Amalgam is a wonderful restorative material that has been used in dentistry for over 150 years. Millions of people world-wide have at least one dental amalgam restoration, and have not suffered any adverse effects. It is easily placed, relatively cheap and durable. It expands while setting thereby creating a tight marginal seal. If moisture is incorporated there will be some increased expansion...

The posterior restorative material of choice depends on the individual clinical situation and patient. Amalgam has a long history of use and clinical success. Esthetic restorations are increasingly in demand, and include glass ionomers, compomers and composite resins. Fluoride release is a desirable attribute in a restorative material, as are wear resistance, low polymerization shrinkage and lo...

14 To examine possible association between dental amalgam fillings and mercury burden, we measured the mercury concentrations in scalp hair samples from 74 female Japanese subjects aged 26-64 years who had a dietary habit of little fish-consumption. The hair mercury concentrations in the subjects with multiple amalgam fillings were significantly higher than those in the subjects with no amalgam...

Twenty-six patients, 5-13 years of age, demonstrated 67 pairs of contralateral occlusal fissure and buccal, or lingual pit carious lesions which were restored with a spherical high-copper amalgam. One restoration of each pah" was allowed to remain as carved, while the other was finished and polished 24 hours after insertion. Each restoration was evaluated clinically by three independent examine...