The adhesive amalgam--fact or fiction?

Forty molar and premolar teeth had non-retentive cavities prepared and restored with amalgam using (1) copal varnish (control), (2) a pin, (3) Amalgambond or (4) Panavia-Ex. The forces and energy required to dislodge the restorations were recorded and compared, and the mode of failure noted for each group. Although the pinned restorations required significantly higher loads to dislodge them, the mode of failure and energy required to dislodge the restorations in the Amalgambond and Panavia-Ex groups indicated that these types of restorations had significant advantages over pinned restorations, particularly where the pulp might be compromised. The film thickness of the retentive systems in these two groups, however, indicated a substantial operator or technique sensitivity.