Test of long-term corrosion of dental amalgams

Abstract — Seven non-gamm-amlgams and one conventional amalgam were used in the study. Cylindrical specimens were kept in a test solution for 1 yr. The depth of corrosion was measured and leakage of copper, zinc an mercury was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. EDX was used to analyze th corrosion products. The results showed that copper leakage from the non-gamma-amalgams was higher than from the conventional amalgam. The amount of copper in the solution was not related to the concentration in the alloy. Dissoltion of this ion was low during the last 6 months of the rate seemed to be less time dependent and leakage probably had not stopped after 1 yr. The depth of corrosion in hte amalgams were more corroded than the conventional amalgam.