| General
Description
|
A
mixture of mercury and silver alloy powder that forms a hard
solid metal filling. Self-hardening at mouth temperature.
|
A
mixture of submicron glass filler and acrylic that forms a
solid tooth-colored restoration. Self- or light–hardening at
mouth temperature.
|
Self-hardening
mixture of fluoride containing glass powder and organic acid
that forms a solid tooth colored restoration able to release
fluoride.
|
Self
or light- hardening mixture of sub-micron glass filler with
fluoride containing glass powder and acrylic resin that forms
a solid tooth colored restoration able to release fluoride.
|
| Principal
Uses
|
Dental
fillings and heavily loaded back tooth restorations.
|
Esthetic
dental fillings and veneers.
|
Small
non-load bearing fillings, cavity liners and cements for
crowns and bridges.
|
Small
non-load bearing fillings, cavity liners and cements for
crowns and bridges.
|
| Leakage
and
Recurrent
Decay
|
Leakage
is moderate, but recurrent decay is no more prevalent than
other materials.
|
Leakage
low when properly bonded to underlying tooth; recurrent decay
depends on maintenance of the tooth-material bond.
|
Leakage
is generally low; recurrent decay is comparable to other
direct materials, fluoride release may be beneficial for
patients at high risk for decay.
|
Leakage
is low when properly bonded to the underlying tooth; recurrent
decay is comparable to other direct materials, fluoride
release may be beneficial for patients at high risk for decay.
|
|
Overall
Durability
|
Good
to excellent in large load-bearing restorations.
|
Good
in small-to-moderate size restorations.
|
Moderate
to good in non load-bearing restorations poor in load-bearing.
|
Moderate
to good in non load-bearing restorations; poor in
load-bearing.
|
| Cavity
Preparation Considerations
|
Requires
removal of tooth structure for adequate retention and
thickness of the filling.
|
Adhesive
bonding permits removing less tooth structure.
|
Adhesive
bonding permits removing less tooth structure.
|
Adhesive
bonding permits removing less tooth structure.
|
| Clinical
Considerations
|
Tolerant
to a wide range of clinical placement conditions, moderately
tolerant to the presence of moisture during placement.
|
Must
be placed in a well-controlled field of operation; very little
tolerance to presence of moisture during placement.
|
| Resistance
to Wear
|
Highly
resistant to wear.
|
Moderately
resistant, but less so than amalgam.
|
High
wear when placed on chewing surfaces.
|
| Resistance
to Fracture
|
Brittle,
subject to chipping on filling edges, but good bulk strength
in larger high- load restorations.
|
Moderate
resistance to fracture in high-load restorations.
|
Low
resistance to fracture.
|
Low
to moderate resistance to fracture.
|
| Biocompatibility
|
Well-tolerated with rare occurrences of allergenic response.
|
| Post-Placement
Sensitivity
|
Early
sensitivity to hot and cold possible.
|
Occurrence
of sensitivity highly dependent on ability to adequately bond
the restoration to the underlying tooth.
|
Low.
|
Occurrence
of sensitivity highly dependent on ability to adequately bond
the restoration to the underlying tooth.
|
| Esthetics
|
Silver
or gray metallic color does not mimic tooth color.
|
Mimics
natural tooth color and translucency, but can be subject to
staining and discoloration over time.
|
Mimics
natural tooth color, but lacks natural translucency of enamel.
|
Mimics
natural tooth color, but lacks natural translucency of enamel.
|
| Relative
Cost to Patient
|
Generally
lower; actual cost of fillings depends on their size.
|
Moderate;
actual cost of fillings depends on their size and technique.
|
Moderate;
actual cost of fillings depends on their size and technique.
|
Moderate;
actual cost of fillings depends on their size and technique.
|
| Average
Number of Visits To Complete
|
One.
|
One
for direct fillings; 2+ for indirect inlays, veneers and
crowns.
|
One.
|
One.
|
provided
this material.