Adaptation of eight modern dental amalgams to walls of Class I cavity preparations

An in vitro study was conducted in which a range of amalgam alloys was condensed into Class I cavity preparations. The force of condensation and increment size were varied to determine the effect of these operator variables on the adaptation, of the alloys investigated, to the prepared cavity walls. Specimens were sectioned, metallographically polished and examined using light and scanning electron microscopes. For each specimen ten random points on the pulpal and both vertical walls were selected to measure the adaptation of the amalgam to the tooth structure. For the Class I cavity preparation the adaptation of all alloys to the vertical walls was better than the adaptation to the pulpal walls. The overall adaptability of the alloy did not appear to be determined by the particle size, shape or composition. Condensation force was the most important factor in influencing adaptation of amalgam to the cavity walls. Heavy condensation forces produced better adaptation for all alloys particularly when condensing small increments.