Electron probe microanalysis of secondary carious lesions associated with silver amalgam fillings

Secondary caries associated with silver amalgam fillings is characterized by outer lesions and cavity wall lesions. In this study the content of minerals and the penetration of elements from the amalgam into such lesions were analyzed. In sections of 11 teeth including cases of natural secondary caries and experimental in vitro and in vivo lesions around silver amalgam fillings the distribution of Ca, P, Mg, Zn, Sn, Cu, Ag and Hg was studied by means of two-dimensional X-ray images, linear scans and point analyses. Dentine wall lesions where microradiographs had shown increased radiopacity relative to intact tissue, exhibited considerably reduced Ca and P values. The outer portion of the radiopaque areas contained 5--8% Zn and Sn, decreasing to less than 0.1% at a varying distance up to 130 mum from the cavity wall. Hg was not detected, nor was Ag, except in one specimen. The increased radiopacity of this zone as observed on microradiographs is, therefore, obviously caused by the presence of Zn and Sn. Zn and Sn had also penetrated into the moderately demineralized enamel lesions, but the concentrations were generally lower than those observed in the dentine.