Removal of gamma-II phase in amalgam

To examine the quantitative change in the gamma 2 phase, specimens of three conventional, four dispersed-phase and two ternary amalgams were prepared. A higher energy amalgamator caused more gamma 2 phase to be formed in conventional amalgam and less in the dispersed-phase material. With storage at 37 degrees C this gamma 2 phase decreased quantitatively in dispersed-phase amalgams over one week but not in conventional amalgams. The selective etch system of gamma 2 did not disclose this phase in the ternary amalgams.