An investigation of the stress values on a tooth restored by amalgam

The study was carried out in two stages: (1) MOD amalgam cavities were prepared on maxillary second premolars and three strain gauges were attached to the palatal surface of each tooth. The teeth were filled using amalgam with and without base material (glass-ionomer). Stresses occurred during the hardening phase and also through mastication and were measured by strain-gauge rosettes. (2) The stresses which occurred at the same points were calculated by the finite element method and compared with the values obtained experimentally. The highest stress values were observed when no base material was used.