Longevity of dental amalgam

Abstract

Objective: To carry out an integrative literature review collecting findings on the longevity of dental amalgam, comparing them with composite resin. Methods: The PubMed, Virtual Health Library (VHL) and LILACS databases were used to search for scientific articles. For the literature search, the following keywords were applied: Amalgam, Dental Restorations, Survival, Longevity, Failure. All descriptors were combined with each other using the Boolean operator “AND” and following the description of the MeSH/DeCs terms. After applying the eligibility criteria, nine articles were selected. Results: Several properties influence the longevity of amalgam restorations, with survival and failure rates of amalgam restorations varying across studies, with disagreements over the superiority of composite resin or dental amalgam. The main cause of failures in restorations is secondary caries and, in some cases, only repair with amalgam in restorations appears as a solution instead of the complete replacement of the material. Final considerations: Knowing that amalgam is still present in the clinical practice of some professionals, as well as in the oral cavity of a large portion of the population, the replacement or repair of these restorations must be evaluated individually, without the bias of toxicity or release of mercury by the material.