dental amalgam
Noun: 1. A dental filling material: A dental amalgam is a durable, metallic material used by dentists to restore teeth damaged by decay. It is created by mixing liquid mercury with a powdered alloy composed primarily of silver, tin, and copper. 2. A specific type of alloy: In a broader chemical context, it is an amalgam (a mixture of mercury with another metal) specifically formulated for use in dentistry to fill cavities.
Dental amalgam is a common and long-lasting material for filling cavities, particularly in back teeth where chewing forces are greatest. - The dentist recommended a dental amalgam for the large cavity in my molar. - Modern dental amalgam is a safe and effective restorative material. - Some patients choose alternatives to dental amalgam for cosmetic reasons.
- "Amalgam restoration": This is a more technical term for a filling made from dental amalgam.
- The patient received an amalgam restoration on tooth number 30.
- In historical or chemical contexts, "amalgam" alone can refer to any mercury alloy, but "dental amalgam" specifies its medical application.
- While gold was used historically, dental amalgam became the standard filling material for over a century.
- Amalgam (noun): The general term for an alloy of mercury with another metal(s).
- The chemist created an amalgam of mercury and silver.
- Silver amalgam: A common informal name for dental amalgam, referencing its silver-colored appearance.
- Amalgam filling: A direct synonym describing its function.
- She has several amalgam fillings from her childhood.
- Silver filling (common layperson's term)
- Amalgam filling
- Mercury alloy (in a dental context)
- "To have an amalgam": To have a dental amalgam filling.
- I have an amalgam in my lower left molar.
- "Amalgam removal": The procedure of taking out an old dental amalgam filling.
- The clinic specializes in amalgam removal and replacement with composite materials.
- an alloy of mercury with another metal (usually silver) used by dentists to fill cavities in teeth; except for iron and platinum all metals dissolve in mercury and chemists refer to the resulting mercury mixtures as amalgams