Fluoride supplemented and non gamma 2 amalgam. A comparative clinical study into the primary and permanent dentition in children.

The purpose of the present study has been to test and compare the clinical performance of two dental analgams, a non gamma 2 amalgam (Amalcap) and a fluoride supplemented amalgam (Yata) containing 0,5% fluoride as stannous fluoride. During a period of almost one year, 196 fillings were made on contralateral cavities in primary as well as permanent teeth. The patients, all school children, received on the same occasion, randomly in one side of the mouth the F-supplemented amalgam and, in the corresponding contralateral tooth surface, the non gamma 2 amalgam. After four years of observation, no significant differences were found between the two tested amalgams concerning their clinical qualities such as corrosion, tooth colouration, filling edges, over- and underfilling, isthmus fractures or secondary caries. However, the low number of secondary caries occurring during the test period (2-3%) did not permit any conclusion about the preventive effect of the F-supplemented amalgam against secondary caries to be drawn. Further clinical studies, therefore, will show if fluoride supplemented amalgam is a really effective way to prevent secondary caries. Many categories of patients with extremely long intervals between dental treatments i e military and fleet personnel, certain foreign personnel, some handicapped groups and specific risk ages, as well as other specific intra-oral situations should benefit from filling therapy with fluoride supplemented amalgam. Such studies should be undertaken in order to evaluate the preventive clinical effect from fluoride supplemented amalgams.