Microscopic observations of amalgams carved by different methods and subsequently polished.

Occlusal amalgam restorations placed in extracted deciduous molars were studied using an electron microscope. The fillings were carved only or both carved and burnished, and all were subsequently polished. Observations were made before and after polishing, and the results emphasized the effects of carving, burnishing, and polishing on the surface texture and marginal integrity of amalgam fillings.