ORAL HEALTH EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROGRAM
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Title Does Polishing An Amalgam Restoration Intraorally Improve The Marginal Integrity Of The Restoration?
Clinical Question In high copper amalgams, does intraoral polishing of the amalgam improve the marginal integrity of the restoration compared to not polishing?
Clinical Bottom Line Polishing the amalgam restoration did not improve the marginal integrity of the restoration, though further studies should be performed. (See Comments on the CAT below)
Best Evidence (you may view more info by clicking on the PubMed ID link)
PubMed ID Author / Year Patient Group Study type
(level of evidence)
#1) 6585528Letzel/1984Patients with amalgam restorationsClinical Study
Key resultsAuthors concluded, “The influence of the patient on marginal integrity was more or less equal to that of the alloy. The size of the polish influence was relatively small.”
Evidence Search Search polishing, high copper, amalgam, integrity
Comments on
The Evidence
Though the evidence is only from a clinical study and not a randomized control study, systematic review, or meta-analysis, the data is still valid. This study shows that polishing amalgam did not seem to affect the marginal integrity of the restoration one way or another. That doesn’t necessarily mean polishing is a waste of time, only that the effects of polishing were not seen in this study. Further clinical studies should be performed.
Applicability In practice, polishing does not seem to influence the marginal integrity of a high copper amalgam restoration.
Specialty/Discipline (General Dentistry) (Restorative Dentistry) (Dental Hygiene)
Keywords Polish, amalgam, marginal integrity, efficacy, high copper
ID# 871
Date of submission: 04/28/2011spacer
E-mail sagerm@livemail.uthscsa.edu
Author Matt Sager
Co-author(s)
Co-author(s) e-mail
Faculty mentor/Co-author Mary Norma Partida, DDS, MPH
Faculty mentor/Co-author e-mail PARTIDAM@uthscsa.edu
Basic Science Rationale
(Mechanisms that may account for and/or explain the clinical question, i.e. is the answer to the clinical question consistent with basic biological, physical and/or behavioral science principles, laws and research?)
post a rationale
None available
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Comments and Evidence-Based Updates on the CAT
(FOR PRACTICING DENTISTS', FACULTY, RESIDENTS and/or STUDENTS COMMENTS ON PUBLISHED CATs)
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by Rachel Lowery (San Antonio, TX) on 06/12/2012
I completed a PubMed search on this topic on June 12, 2012. The publication listed in this CAT is still current, the most recent, and the highest level of evidence available at this time.
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