Restoration with amalgam
Dental amalgam is a metal restorative material consisting of silver, tin, and mercury alloys.
The inside of the shaved tooth is held, compressed, and shaped. Amalgam has been the first direct restorative material for more than 150 years in the United States, and this material has been subjected to extensive studies and research, and its health and usefulness as a type of direct restorative material. It has been confirmed. And many people have benefited from amalgam restorations in their mouths
Amalgam was introduced to the United States in 1830. Initially, amalgam restorations were made by dentists who ground up silver coins and mixed the shavings with mercury to create a paste-like mass that settled inside the damaged tooth.
With the increase in awareness and the intensification of research, fundamental improvements in the formula and the way amalgam is used were made. Concerns about the toxicity of mercury in amalgam were raised in many countries, which reached their maximum in the early 1990s, and the American Dental Society (ADA) and the US Department of Health and Human Services have published many statements to support the use and safety of amalgam as a restorative material
Dental amalgam inherently needs to remove the underlying tissue from the tooth to meet its strength requirements. Due to its strength and ease of use, amalgam is an excellent material for repairing large defects in non-esthetically important areas. A study on 3,500 amalgam restorations revealed that after 5 years, a successful survival rate of about 72% was observed in 4-level restorations and 65% in 5-level restorations.
Advantages of amalgam restoration:
- Ease of use
- High-pressure strength
- Excellent wear resistance
- Long-term research results
- Lower price compared to the composite repair
Disadvantages of amalgam restoration:
- Not insulating
- Lack of beauty
- Removing more tooth tissue during cavity preparation
