Chapter 10: Dental Amalgam Flashcards
A mixture of two or more metals
Alloy
A reaction that occurs when silver-based alloy is mixed with mercury to form an amalgam
Amalgamation
Metallic restorative material composed of silver0based alloy mixed with mercury
Dental amalgam
Irregularly shaped particles formed by shaving fine particles from an alloy ingot
Lathe-Cut alloy
Small spheres of alloy particles produced by spraying a fine mist of liquid alloy into an inert gas environment
Spherical alloy
Mixture of lathe-cut and spherical alloys
Admixed alloy
A chemical reaction between tin in the silver-based alloy and mercury that causes corrosion in the amalgam
Gamma-2 phase
Oxidation affecting a thin layer of a metal at its surface that does not change the metal’s mechanical properties
Tarnish
Breakdown of a metal by chemical or electrochemical reaction with substances in the environment such as water or air. It negatively impacts the properties of amalgam
Corrosion
Gradual change in the shape of a restoration caused by compression from occlusion or adjacent teeth and can cause amalgam to bulge out of the cavity preparation
Creep
Expansion of amalgam containing zinc when it is contaminated with moisture during condensation. Inside the amalgam hydrogen gas develops from the interaction of water and zinc, and it creates an outward pressure that causes creep to occur.
Delayed Expansion
Mechanical device used to mix silver based alloy particles with mercury to produce amalgam.
Triturator or Amalgamator
The act of pressing amalgam mix into a cavity preparation with instruments to produce a dense mass
Condensation
After the amalgam mix is placed an instrument is used to further condense the amalgam surface
Burnishing
