amalgam polishing is it worthless?

[dc-10]

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At my school you only get credit for an amalgam after you polish it. the problem is half the patients fail out of the system before you can have them back to polish it. Does anybody have any articles that say polishing does any good? Or better yet, does anybody have any articles that say polishing doesn't do a damn thing so I can show it to those operative nazis?

 

[UConn_SDM]

I think polishing has been shown to marginally increase corrosive resistance of the surface. We did not polish any Ag at UConn and usually got a funny look if you asked.

I think they were more worried about student over polishing and causing some pulpal pathology from over heating.

Sorry no papers to back this up.

 

[toofache32]

We had to polish them at my school until my 4th year they abandoned the practice after years and years. I had a lady with a huge amalgam I did. The financial coordinator at our school told me she paid $40 for an appointment when she didn't have to, but it was tied up in medicaid or something and would be difficult to get back (I still don't understand it). I mentioned this to the patient trying to be nice and told her I would try to get it back. Then she would always say "where's my money at!?" when I called her to reschedule and said she wouldn't come in until I had her money. The financial coordinator never got the money and the patient would never come in for a 15-minute free visit so I could polish her amalgam to get my credit. I finally pulled $40 out of my own pocket, called her and said "I've got your money". She showed up that afternoon and I told her she couldn't get it unless she let me polish her amalgam. So she did. B!tch.

 

[GoGatorsDMD]

For what it's worth my FOD text states that a smooth surface is less plaque retentive.

 

[herodontist]

Sturdevant's text of Operative Dentistry, Chapter 17, pg. 734- 'evidence suggests that polishing of high-copper amalgams is unnecessary'. Reference quoted- Moffa JP: The longevity and reasons for replacement of amalgam alloys, J Dent Res 68:188, 1989.

 

[dc-10]

Thanks

 

[aphistis]

Sturdevant's text of Operative Dentistry, Chapter 17, pg. 734- 'evidence suggests that polishing of high-copper amalgams is unnecessary'. Reference quoted- Moffa JP: The longevity and reasons for replacement of amalgam alloys, J Dent Res 68:188, 1989.

I might just have to bring this up to some clinical faculty. Will it change anything? Doubtful. But at least I can say I tried.

 

[drhobie7]

I think polishing has been shown to marginally increase corrosive resistance of the surface. We did not polish any Ag at UConn and usually got a funny look if you asked.

I think they were more worried about student over polishing and causing some pulpal pathology from over heating.

Sorry no papers to back this up.

That's a good point about the potential for overheating. I remember polishing gold crowns I casted in the lab and burning the crap out of my fingertips. Then I'd drop it on the floor and scream, "where'd my damn crown go?!"

About the resistance to corrosion, I thought margin corrosion was actually desireable as it helped to seal the margins of amalgams. So perhaps this is another argument against polishing?

 

[herodontist]

The self-sealing capabilities of amalgam refer to the older low-copper amalgams. The high-copper amalgams almost universally used today have higher corrosion resistance and marginal seal does not improve over time.

 

[gumgardener2009]

I might just have to bring this up to some clinical faculty. Will it change anything? Doubtful. But at least I can say I tried.

This is one of those policies where many of the faculty look the other way. Most but not all grade the final "polished" amalgam. Wink. Wink.

 

[klovar]

Anyone you'll say the contrary

😀

 

[aphistis]

Anyone you'll say the contrary

😀

[blink]

Buh? What are Engrish?

 

[toofache32]

absolutely necessary to polish ..... sorry
Anyone you'll say the contrary

😀

Thanks for the peer-reviewed citations. Strong work.

 

[UConn_SDM]

absolutely necessary to polish ..... sorry

If I had a penny for every time I heard a dentist/attending/lecturer say something was "absolutely necessary" only to hear someone else say "absolutely don't do that" the next day.........

Nothing in dentistry is absolute - black & white