Influence of casting procedure on silver-palladium endodontic posts

Silver-palladium alloys have been endorsed on clinical grounds as substitutes for gold alloys in posts and cores. However, carbon absorption during heating and casting can adversely affect the mechanical properties of silver-palladium alloys. In this study the tensile characteristics of endodontic posts cast in silver-palladium alloy using either a graphite or a ceramic crucible were determined. Graphite crucibles were associated with a significantly lower (2P less than 0.00001) percentage elongation than were ceramic crucibles. The need for a carbon-free casting environment for silver-palladium alloys was confirmed. The configuration of the cylindrical, serrated, vented post used in these tests resulted in mechanical properties lower than those achieved with standard metallurgical test procedures.