Failures of Amalgam

FAILURES OF AMALGAM
FRACTURE OF THE RESTORATION

CAUSE
EFFECT
Too shallow cavity

Too thick cavity liner
Amalgam thin
Too thick cement base

Inadequate cuspal reduction
Giving cavosurface bevel
Amalgam thin (over the cusp)
Sharp axio-pulpal line angle
Stress concentration (fracture thro'

Sharp angles in occlusal outline form of isthmus)
Class II
Sloping gingival step
Too narrow gingival step
No resistance form (fracture thro'

isthmus)
Insufficient Hg
Excess Hg
Amalgam weak
Undertrituration
Moisture contamination (Zn having
alloys)
Insufficient condensation pressure
Not squeezing out excess Hg
Delayed expansion (flow over margins)

Increased residual Hg
Mix squeezed too dry

Condensation of partially crystallized
amalgam
Lack of cohesion (amalgam weak)
Overfilling
Thin amalgam over margins
Failure to warn patient not to chew on

the restoration for first few hours
Failure to support proximal part of the
restoration while removing matrix band
Early strength not high enough
FRACTURE OF THE TOOTH
CAUSE
EFFECT
Sharp angles in occlusal outline of Class

Stress concentration
II
Excess removal of tooth structure
Enamel undermined and tooth weakened
INADEQUATE RETENTION
CAUSE
EFFECT
Absence of undercuts
No retention form
Dovetail with only one cornu
No resistance to dislodgement
Too thick liner that is lost subsequently Lack of adaptation to cavity walls
Using large condensers initially
Undercuts and margins not filled - No

retention
MARGINAL LEAKAGE
CAUSE
EFFECT
Excess Sn (tin) in the alloy
Too much shrinkage
Overtrituration
Shrinkage on setting
Excessive pestle pressure
Slow setting with shrinkage
Failure to condense towards margins
Marginal gaps
Using large condensers initially
Deficient margins and undercuts
Carving from amalgam to tooth
Marginal defects and gaps
Excess amalgam left beyond

cavosurface angles
Breaks away leaving deficient margins
POROUS AND WEAK AMALGAM
CAUSE
EFFECT
Increased 2 Phase (low Cu alloys)
Weak phase
Irregularly shaped particles in the alloy
Porosities and voids; less coherence of

phases
Too less Hg
Same as above (Incomplete

amalgamation; non-plastic)
Too much Hg
Increased residual Hg (Increased

2 Phase , decreased 1 Phase phases)
Undertrituration
Porosities & voids
Trituration beyond limits
Decreased coherence (due to cracking of

crystals)
Delayed insertion after trituration

Insertion of too large increments
Porosities and voids
Decreased condensation pressure
Porosities and voids (increased residual

Hg)
Moisture contamination
Porous amalgam
Mix squeezed too dry
Decreased coherence
Mix not squeezed (with high Hg:Alloy Porosities and voids (increased residual
ratio)
Hg)
Condensation of partially crystallized
amalgam
Porous amalgam
Condensing with serrated pluggers with Old amalgam contaminates restoration

set amalgam in the serrations
and weakens it
Overheating while polishing
'Burns' amalgam and releases Hg

resulting in porosity
Burnishing set amalgam
Breaks up superficial crystalline

structure releasing Hg causing porosity
TARNISH AND CORROSION
CAUSE
EFFECT
Alloy with excess 2 Phase
Has least resistance to corrosion
Fissures carved too deep
Food stagnation leading to tarnish and

corrosion
Failure to polish
Rough surface causing crevicular

corrosion
Contact with dissimilar metallic

restoration
Galvanic corrosion
GINGIVITIS AND PERIODONTITIS
CAUSE
EFFECT
No wedge used
Gross overhang; Contact area deficiency
Surface left high in bite
High point causing periodontitis
Failure to polish proximal surface
Food stagnation resulting in gingivitis

and periodonitis
Lack of proximal contact
LACK OF FUNCTIONAL EFFICIENCY
CAUSE
Fissures carved too deep
Underfilling
Failure to carve
EFFECT
Reduced masticatory efficiency
Decreased masticatory efficiency (Tooth
anatomy not simulated).
PAIN AFTER PLACING RESTORATION
CAUSE
EFFECT
Failure to use liner and base
Thermal conduction
Overfilling
High point causing periodontitis

resulting in pain
Moisture contamination
Delayed expansion with pressure on

pulp
Increased Hg: alloy ratio
Mercuroscopic expansion with pressure

on pulp
Failure to squeeze out excess Hg

Inadequate condensation pressure
Mercuroscopic expansion (increased

residual Hg)
Cavity preparation without water

coolant
Pulpitis resulting in pain
Microscopic pulp exposure
TOOTH DISCOLOURATION
Sometimes excess Hg within the restoration may seep through the dentinal tubules,
discolour dentin and result in blackish or greyish staining of teeth. Since enamel is
semi-translucent, this discolouration is not inconspicuous.

Failures of Amalgam

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Failures of Amalgam

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Failures of Amalgam

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

FAILURES OF AMALGAM

FRACTURE OF THE RESTORATION

Too shallow cavity

Too thick cement base

Amalgam thin (over the cusp)

Sharp axio-pulpal line angle

Stress concentration (fracture thro'

No resistance form (fracture thro'

Delayed expansion (flow over margins)

Mix squeezed too dry

Lack of cohesion (amalgam weak)

Thin amalgam over margins

Failure to warn patient not to chew on

Early strength not high enough

FRACTURE OF THE TOOTH

Sharp angles in occlusal outline of Class

Enamel undermined and tooth weakened

Dovetail with only one cornu

Undercuts and margins not filled - No

Excess Sn (tin) in the alloy

Too much shrinkage

Excessive pestle pressure

Slow setting with shrinkage

Failure to condense towards margins

Using large condensers initially

Deficient margins and undercuts

Carving from amalgam to tooth

Marginal defects and gaps

Excess amalgam left beyond

Breaks away leaving deficient margins

POROUS AND WEAK AMALGAM

Increased 2 Phase (low Cu alloys)

Irregularly shaped particles in the alloy

Porosities and voids; less coherence of

Same as above (Incomplete

Increased residual Hg (Increased

Porosities & voids

Trituration beyond limits

Decreased coherence (due to cracking of

Delayed insertion after trituration

Porosities and voids

Decreased condensation pressure

Porosities and voids (increased residual

Mix squeezed too dry

Condensing with serrated pluggers with Old amalgam contaminates restoration

'Burns' amalgam and releases Hg

Burnishing set amalgam

Breaks up superficial crystalline

TARNISH AND CORROSION

Alloy with excess 2 Phase

Has least resistance to corrosion

Fissures carved too deep

Food stagnation leading to tarnish and

Rough surface causing crevicular

Contact with dissimilar metallic

GINGIVITIS AND PERIODONTITIS

Gross overhang; Contact area deficiency

Surface left high in bite

High point causing periodontitis