An evaluation of the marginal leakage of spherical high-copper amalgam

Three high-copper spherical amalgam alloys and one conventional spherical alloy were compared for microleakage by placing restorations in 60 human premolars. The evaluations were made at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after condensation. Almost all the experimental alloys leaked to some degree. When they were evaluated for gross leakage (Class 4) or moderate leakage (Classes 0, 1, 2, and 3), Tytin and Cupralloy leaked significantly less than the control material. This study indicates that the lack of a gamma-2 corrosion does not increase the microleakage of amalgam restorations when these products are used.