Influence of amalgams, bases, and varnish on seal composition at restoration tooth interfaces

Eighty extracted, noncarious premolars were restored with one of 20 different combinations of restorative materials: a high- or low-copper amalgam, unlined or lined with one of five bases, and varnished or unvarnished. The teeth were aged in 1% NaCl and after 3 months and 1 year the seal material deposited on the cut tooth cavity surface and the surface of the amalgam restoration was analyzed by use of energy dispersive x-ray analysis. Atomic weight percentages of marginal seal elements were statistically examined with ANOVA and Tukey's test with significance set at p < 0.05. The results indicated that only one type of seal was formed centered around tin. More marginal seal material was present in the 1-year specimens. Restoration materials used affected the deposition rate of marginal seal material. Low-copper amalgam-restored teeth formed more seal material with significantly greater amounts of chlorine and tin. Less marginal seal material was found in varnished cavities. A calcium hydroxide base produced a thick marginal seal with a significantly different composition of elements compared with the unlined and zinc-based specimens. Tin in Poly-F Plus polycarboxylate cement did not significantly increase the tin content of the marginal seal. Base materials can play a role in determining crevice pH. The findings have bearing on improved longevity of amalgam restorations.