The Open Corrosion Journal

2009, 2 : 17-25
Published online 2009 February 03. DOI: 10.2174/1876503300902010017
Publisher ID: TOCORRJ-2-17

The Galvanic Interaction Between a CoCrMo Alloy, Pure Titanium and Two Different Dental Amalgams with Special Attention on the Area Size

F. Unalan , A. Aykor and H. Bilhan
Istanbul University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Prosthodontics, 34093 Çapa, Istanbul, Turkey

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the galvanic interaction between pure titanium, a CoCrMo alloy, as well as their galvanic interaction with a high copper and a conventional amalgam at different area ratios.

Pure titanium, a CoCrMo alloy and two dental amalgams with different copper compositions were tested in this study in 0.9% NaCl environment of pH 7. Polarization curves were recorded for different couples with different area ratios.

The conventional amalgam is more prone to galvanic corrosion than the higher copper containing amalgam in contact with the CoCrMo alloy as well as titanium. Since there is higher galvanic interaction of amalgams with CoCrMo casting alloys, either all amalgams should be exchanged with non-metallic restorations, or titanium should be chosen as casting metal for partial denture framework, if too many amalgam restorations exist in the oral cavity.

Keywords:

Galvanic corrosion, high copper amalgam, different area ratios.