Amalgam (dentistry)

In dentistry, amalgam is an alloy of mercury used to fill teeth cavities.^[1] It is made by mixing a combination of liquid mercury and particles of solid metals such a silver, copper or tin. The amalgam is mixed by the dentist just before use. It remains soft for a short while after mixing, which facilitates it being snugly packed into the cavity and shaped before it sets hard.

Dental amalgams were first documented in a Tang dynasty medical text written by Su Gong (苏恭) in 659, and appeared in Germany in 1528.^[2]^[3] In the 1800s, amalgam became the dental restorative material of choice due to its low cost, ease of application, strength, and durability.^[4]

^ "Dental Amalgam Fillings". Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 29 September 2020.
^ Cite error: The named reference Bjørklund1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference czarnetzki was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Bharti R, Wadhwani KK, Tikku AP, Chandra A (2010). "Dental amalgam: An update". Journal of Conservative Dentistry. 13 (4): 204–208. doi:10.4103/0972-0707.73380. PMC 3010024. PMID 21217947.

[FDA-amalgam-1] "Dental Amalgam Fillings". Silver Spring, MD: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 29 September 2020.

[Bjørklund1-2] Cite error: The named reference Bjørklund1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[czarnetzki-3] Cite error: The named reference czarnetzki was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[4] Bharti R, Wadhwani KK, Tikku AP, Chandra A (2010). "Dental amalgam: An update". Journal of Conservative Dentistry. 13 (4): 204–208. doi:10.4103/0972-0707.73380. PMC 3010024. PMID 21217947.

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