AMALGAM CARRIERS

Figure 4-4.—Hoe. Figure 4-5.—Gingival margin trimmers (GMTs). Condensing Instruments To deliver the amalgam to the cavity preparation and properly condense (pack) it, the dentist will use a variety of instruments. Amalgam carriers and condensers are used for this purpose. completed, eject any remaining a: nalgam alloy from the carrier into the amalgam well The carrier is no longer serviceable when the amalgam is allowed to harden in the carrier. CONDENSERS. —Amalgam condensers, often called pluggers, are instruments used to condense or AMALGAM CARRIERS.—Amalgam carriers (fig. 4-6) transport the freshly prepared amalgam restorative material to the cavity preparation. These carriers have hollow working ends, called barrels, into which the amalgam is packed for transportation. Both single and double-ended carriers are available with a variety of barrel sizes including: mini, large, and jumbo. When the lever (located on the top of the carrier) is depressed, the amalgam is ejected into the cavity preparation. Normally, two carriers are used during the amalgam placement procedure. This saves time for the dentist who is ejecting or condensing a carrier load while you are refilling the carriers. A poorly packed carrier of amalgam handed to the dentist may fall out before it is ejected into the cavity preparation. It is your responsibility to ensure that all carriers are properly packed before the transfer to the dentist. After amalgam material placement is pack the amalgam filling materials into the cavity preparation. The hammer-like working end is large enough to compress the soft amalgam without sinking into it. Condensers come in single- and double-ended designs. They have various shaped and sized working ends, which may be smooth or serrated as shown in figure 4-7. Carvers After the amalgam is condensed, it must then be carved to approximately the same original tooth structure. Carvers have sharp cutting edges that are used to shape, form, or cut tooth anatomy into amalgam restorations. Figure 4-8 illustrates these instruments that come in assorted shapes and sizes in double-ended designs. Many carvers were designed for carving specific tooth surfaces. The Interproximal and #1/2 Hollenback were designed for carving proximal (in between) tooth surfaces; whereas, the discoid-cleoid # 89/92 and Tanner #5 are used on occlusal surfaces. Carvers shaped similar to Vignon or Frahm #2/3 (also 4-3