Quantitative measure of mercury vapor emission from setting dental amalgam

The rate of mercury vapor emission from setting dental amalgam was measured by use of an ultraviolet light absorption technique under nondiffusion-controlled conditions. An average of 0.3 X 10-6 gm mercury per square centimeter was emitted at the experimental temperature. At 37 C, this amount was estimated to be 1.2 × 10 -6 gm/ cm2.

Effect of retainer margin and distribution of mercury on dental amalgem mercury vaporization patterns

The results of this study showed that mercury vaporization patterns were not related directly to specimen postset mercury distribution. During the setting process, amalgam specimen retainer configurations affected these patterns significantly.

Mercury vapor emission from dental amalgam

The patterns of mercury vapor emission from carved, burnished, and polished surfaces made from four commonly used dental amalgam alloys were determined with the use of a selenium sulfide detection method. Mercury vapor was emitted more intensely from the marginal region; carved and burnished surfaces emitted the same amount. There was a difference in the amounts emitted from the different alloys tested.

Effect of surface treatment on the corrodibility of dental amalgam

Potentiostatic anodic polarization data for unfinished, burnished, and polished amalgam surfaces were taken. From the standpoint of corrodibility, these tests indicated that physically improved amalgam restorations can be obtained by burnishing rather than by polishing or leaving amalgam carved and unfinished.