Hands-on Experience with Dental Fillings

The Dental Chairside Assisting students in Natalie Amaya’s class at Bixhorn Tech recently learned to place amalgam fillings in their typodont models (models of human teeth). Even though most fillings used today are composite fillings, she wanted her students to have experience with this material since some dentists still use it.

Amalgam is a powdered alloy composed of silver, tin and copper mixed with mercury. Students mixed all the ingredients in an amalgamator, which is a device that shakes them at high speed to create a precise and consistent blend housed in a small capsule.

Before practicing on the models, students learn correct procedures, the proper use of multiple instruments, how to mix amalgam, and how to use the amalgamator. “This exercise provides authentic experience for my students,” said Amaya. “From the science behind fillings, to using dental instruments and learning correct procedures, it’s about as industry-related as it can get. They even made the typodont models themselves.”

Follow the link to see our dental students in action: https://www.tiktok.com/@esboces/video/7571169732053830926