 Ag-Cu


Dental
Amalgam
 Hg 
 Ag-Sn
 RESTORATIVE DENTAL
MATERIALS
 THESE ARE THE SUBSTANCES THAT
ARE USED TO REPAIR,REPLACE OR
ENHANCE THE PATIENT’S TEETH.
 THESE MATERIALS INCLUDE
METALS,PORCELAINS AND COMPOSITE
RESINS.
Objectives
 Know the advantages and disadvantages of
amalgam
 Know the classification and understand the
amalgamation process of each type of
amalgam
 Know the corrosion process of amalgam
 Know how to control the quality of amalgam
 Know the recommendations in mercury
hygiene

Ref: Phillips' Science of Dental Materials by Anusavice, K. J. (Editor), 10th editi

on
Overview

 History
 Basic composition
 Basic setting reactions
 Classifications
 Manufacturing
 Variables in amalgam
performance
Click here for briefing on dental amalgam (PDF)
 History
 1833
 Crawcour brothers introduce
amalgam to US
 powdered silver coins mixed with mercury
 1895
 G.V. Black develops formula
for modern amalgam alloy
 67% silver, 27% tin, 5% copper, 1% zinc
History
 1960’s
 conventional low-copper lathe-cut alloys
 smaller particles
 first generation high-copper alloys
 Dispersalloy (Caulk)
 admixture of spherical Ag-Cu
eutectic particles with
conventional lathe-cut
 eliminated gamma-2 phase

Mahler, J Dent Res 1997

History
 1970’s
 first single composition spherical
 Tytin (Kerr)
 ternary system (silver/tin/copper)

 1980’s
 alloys similar to Dispersalloy and Tytin
 1990’s
 mercury-free alloys

Mahler, J Dent Res 1997

Amalgam
 An alloy of mercury with another metal.
Definitions
 Amalgam = an alloy of mercury and one or
more other metals
 Dental amalgam is produced by mixing
liquid mercury with solid particles of an
alloy of silver, tin, copper, and sometimes
zinc, palladium, indium and selenium.
Dental Caries

1 2

3 4
 5 6

7 8
Use
 Direct, permanent, posterior restorations
 Large foundation restorations
 Cores for crown or fixed partial denture
restorations
Advantages
 Easy to insert
 Not overly technique sensitive
 Maintain anatomical form
 Have adequate resistance to fracture
 Prevent marginal leakage after a period of time in
the mouth
 Can be used in stress bearing areas
 Have a relatively long service life
Disadvantages
 Silver color does not match tooth structure
 Somewhat brittle
 Subject to corrosion and galvanic action
 May demonstrate a degree of marginal
breakdown
 Do not help retain weakened tooth structure
 Regulatory concerns regarding mercury
being disposed in the waste water.
Fracture
Composition
Constituents in Amalgam
 Basic
 Silver
 Tin
 Copper
 Mercury
 Other
 Zinc
 Indium
 Palladium
Basic Constituents
 Silver (Ag)
 increases strength
 increases expansion
 Tin (Sn)
 increases setting time
 decreases expansion
 decreased strength

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003

Basic Constituents
 Copper (Cu)
 ties up tin
 reducing gamma-2 formation
 increases strength
 reduces tarnish and corrosion
 reduces creep
 reduces marginal deterioration

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003

 Other Constituents
 Zinc (Zn)
 used in manufacturing
 decreases oxidation of other elements
 provides better clinical performance
 less marginal breakdown
 causes delayed expansion with low Cu alloys
 if contaminated with moisture during condensation

H2O + Zn  ZnO + H2

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003

 Basic Constituents
 Mercury (Hg)
 activates reaction
 only pure metal that is liquid
at room temperature
 spherical alloys
 require less mercury
 smaller surface area easier to wet Click here for ADA Mercury
 40 to 45% Hg Hygiene Recommendations
 admixed alloys
 require more mercury
 lathe-cut particles more difficult to wet
 45 to 50% Hg

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003

 Other Constituents
 Indium (In)
 decreases surface tension
 reduces amount of mercury necessary
 reduces emitted mercury vapor
 reduces creep and marginal breakdown
 increases strength
 must be used in admixed alloys
 example
 Indisperse (Indisperse Distributing Company)
 5% indium

Powell, J Dent Res 1989

Other Constituents
 Palladium (Pd)
 reduced corrosion
 greater luster
 example
 Valiant PhD (Ivoclar Vivadent)
 0.5% palladium

Mahler, J Dent Res 1990

  Ag-Cu

Dental
Amalgam
 Hg 
 Ag-Sn
CONTINUED………….
 Classifications
 Based on copper content

 Based on particle shapeS

 Based on zinc content

 Based on the number of alloys

 Copper Content
 Low-copper alloys
 4 to 6% Cu
 High-copper alloys
 thought that 6% Cu was maximum amount
 due to fear of excessive corrosion and expansion
 Now contain 9 to 30% Cu
 at expense of Ag

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003

 Particle Shape
 Lathe cut  Spherical
 low Cu  low Cu
 New True  Cavex SF
Dentalloy  high Cu
 high Cu  Tytin, Valiant
 ANA 2000
 Admixture
 high Cu
 Dispersalloy, Valiant
PhD
 Lathe-cut v.s. Spherical

Irregular or Lathe-cut Spherical

Zinc content

 Zinc containing-containing Zn > 0.01%

 Non zinc-containing Zn < 0.01%

No of alloys
 Binary alloys-2 alloys

 Ternary alloys-3 alloys

 Quaternary alloys-4 alloys

BASIC COMPOSITION AND DIFFERENT
SETTING REACTIONS OF AMALGAM
Symbols of Phases
Phases in Amalgam Alloys and Formula
Set Dental Amalgams
 Ag3Sn
1 Ag2Hg3
 Sn7-8Hg
 Ag4Sn (silver-rich)
 Cu3Sn
 Cu6Sn5
Silver-copper eutectic Ag-Cu
 Basic Composition
 A silver-mercury matrix containing filler particles of
silver-tin
 Filler (bricks)
 Ag3Sn called gamma
 can be in various shapes
 irregular (lathe-cut), spherical,
or a combination
 Matrix
 Ag2Hg3 called gamma 1
 cement
 Sn8Hg called gamma 2
 voids

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003

Basic Setting Reactions

 Conventional low-copper alloys

 Admixed high-copper alloys
 Single composition high-copper alloys
Conventional Low-Copper Alloys
 Dissolution and precipitation
 Hg dissolves Ag and Sn Ag-Sn Alloy

from alloy Hg Hg

Ag Ag
 Intermetallic compounds Ag
Sn
Sn
Sn
formed Ag-Sn
Alloy
Mercury
Ag-Sn
Alloy
(Hg)

Ag3Sn + Hg  Ag3Sn + Ag2Hg3 + Sn8Hg

  1 2
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003
Conventional Low-Copper Alloys

 Gamma () = Ag3Sn Hg

 unreacted alloy Ag-Sn Alloy

 strongest phase and Hg

Hg

corrodes the least Ag

Sn Ag
Ag

Sn
 forms 30% of volume Ag-Sn Sn Ag-Sn
Alloy Alloy
of set amalgam Mercury

Ag3Sn + Hg  Ag3Sn + Ag2Hg3 + Sn8Hg

  1 2
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003
Conventional Low-Copper Alloys
 Gamma 1 (1) = Ag2Hg3 Ag-Sn Alloy

 matrix for unreacted alloy

and 2nd strongest phase
 10 micron grains 1
Ag-Sn Ag-Sn
 60% of volume Alloy Alloy

Ag3Sn + Hg  Ag3Sn + Ag2Hg3 + Sn8Hg

  1 2
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003
Conventional Low-Copper Alloys
 Gamma 2 (2) = Sn8Hg
Ag-Sn Alloy
 weakest and softest phase
 corrodes fast, voids form
 corrosion yields Hg which
reacts with more gamma ()
Ag-Sn
Ag-Sn
 10% of volume Alloy
Alloy 2
 volume decreases with time
due to corrosion

Ag3Sn + Hg  Ag3Sn + Ag2Hg3 + Sn8Hg

  1 2
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 2003