Amalgam (dentistry) the materials. Conventional amalgam alloy commonly consists of silver (~65% ), tin (~29%), copper (~8%) and other trace metals; current amalgam alloy consists of silver (40%), tin (32%), copper (30%) and other metals. To fabricate an amalgam filling, the dentist uses a mixing device to blend roughly equal parts (by mass) of shavings of a silver-base alloy with mercury until the shavings are thoroughly wetted. The silver alloy is typically 40–70% Ag, 25-29% Sn, 2–40% Cu and 0–2% Zn (when the alloy is formulated. Zn is a scavenger and is mostly consumed during melting and lost as oxide). The dentist
Amalgam tattoo common sites, although any mucosal site in the mouth is possible. It is painless, and appears as a blue-black or grey discolored macule on the surface of the mucosa. The borders of the tattoo are variable, and may be well defined, irregular or diffuse. Amalgam tattoo is caused by implantation of amalgam into the tissues. It may occur in several ways: Over time, the amalgam particles embedded in the soft tissues corrode. Macrophages take up the exogenous particles, and the silver in amalgam leads to staining of collagen fibers. A similar appearance can be caused by implantation of graphite (e.g.