Classify Tooth-Filling Materials

Dental Amalgam

Question 1. Classify tooth-filling materials. Describe the composition and role of each ingredient of silver amalgam alloy.  
Answer:

Restorative materials: A restorative material is a material that substitutes the missing tooth structure and restores the form and function of the tooth.

Dental Filling Materials Classification

Classification of Tooth Filling Materials/Tooth Restorative Materials

1. According to the Nature of Materials:

• Metallic: Dental amalgam, direct filing gold, miracle mix, casting gold, and base metal alloys.
• Non-metallic: Dental cement, composites, and ceramics.

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2. According to Life Span:

• Permanent restorative materials: Dental amalgam, direct filing gold, miracle mix, casting gold and base metal alloys, composites, ceramics, and modified glass ionomer cement.
• Semipermanent/intermediate: Life span is weeks to months. Modified zinc oxide eugenol cement, zinc phosphate cement, and zinc polycarboxylate cement.
• Temporary: Life span is days to weeks. Acrylic resins, zinc oxide eugenol cement.

3. According to Placement:

• Anterior restorations: Glass ionomer cement, silicate cement, composites, and ceramics.
• Posterior restorations: Dental amalgam, posterior composites, metal-modified glass ionomer cement, base metal alloys, and metal—ceramics.

Types Of Dental Amalgam

4. According to the Technique:

• Direct restorations: Dental cement, dental amalgam, direct filing gold, composites.
• Indirect restorations: Ceramics, casting gold, and base metal alloys.

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5. According to Hardening:

• Acid-base reactions: Dental cement except for resin cement.
• Polymerization: Composites, resin cement, compomers.
• Solidification: Casting gold and base metal alloys, and ceramics.

Composition of Silver Amalgam Alloy:

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Types Of Dental Fillings

Role of Each Ingredient of Silver Amalgam Alloy Silver

Silver:

• A major element in the reaction
• Whitens the alloys
• Decreases the creep
• Increases the strength
• Increases the expansion of the setting
• Increases the tarnish resistance

Tin:

• Tin controls the reaction between silver and mercury
• Reduces the strength and hardness
• Reduces the resistance to tarnish and corrosion.

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Copper:

• Increases the hardness and strength.
• Increases the setting expansion.

Zinc:

• Zinc acts as “a scavenger or “deoxidizer” during manufacture thus preventing the oxidation of important elements like silver, tin, or copper.
• Zinc causes “delayed expansion” if the amalgam mix is contaminated with moisture during manipulation.

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Mercury: Mercury reacts with other metals to form a plastic mass which is conveniently packed into a prepared cavity.

Dental Restorative Materials

Platinum: Hardens the alloy and increases resistance to corrosion.

Palladium: Hardens and whitens the alloy.

Indium: Indium when added to mercury reduces mercury vapor and improves wetting. It increases the field strength and reduces creep.