Clinical quality of amalgam restorations

The clinical quality of 203 mesio-occlusal Class II and 127 buccal Class V restorations of 246 persons aged 25 years were studied. One third of the amalgam restorations were considered to be unacceptable. Marginal overhang was the prevailing type of failure (17%), recurrent caries occurred at 12% of the restorations, unacceptable proximal contact at 10%, unacceptable marginal adaptation at 8% and isthmus fractures at 2%.