Bone response to zinc and non-zinc silver amalgam implants

Freshly mixed, unset zinc free and zinc containing amalgam were implanted in the right and left tibias of twelve Sparque-Dowley rats. Specimens were examined under light microscope. Animals were sacrifised after one, two, four and six weeks period. Acute inflammatory reaction was observed after one week in zinc containing implant while it was mild in non-zinc amalgam implants. This inflammatory reactions gradually reduced by time until disappeared after four weeks as the zinc cautions were released from one to thirty days