Akademik

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An alloy of an element or a metal with mercury. In dentistry, primarily of two types: silver-tin alloy, containing small amounts of copper, zinc and perhaps other metals, and a second type containing more copper (12 to 30% by weight); they are used for restoring teeth and making dies. [G. malagma, a soft mass]

- pin a. an a. restoration held in place largely by small metal rods protruding from holes drilled into tooth structure.

- spherical a. an alloy for dental a. composed of spherical particles instead of filings.

amal·gam ə-'mal-gəm n an alloy of mercury with another metal that is solid or liquid at room temperature according to the proportion of mercury present and is used esp. in making tooth cements

any of a group of alloys containing mercury. In dentistry amalgam fillings are made by mixing a silver-tin alloy with mercury in a machine known as an amalgamator.