Scholarlink

<p>When unidentified human remains are found, the aim must be to establish the identity of the individual. Being able to assess the time period when the deceased person has lived, might narrow down the search among missing persons. Dental amalgam alloys contain different elemental metals, and various alloy types have over time been introduced and abandoned at certain times, especially in Scandinavian countries. This study aimed to explore if a scanning electron microscope (SEM–EDS) can be used to determine the chemical composition of different dental amalgam restorations, with the focus to distinguish between copper amalgam and conventional silver amalgam. Six previously commonly used amalgams were selected, and five test samples were prepared from each of them. Each test sample was analysed with SEM–EDS at five separate sites, giving 25 readings for each amalgam brand. The SEM–EDS analyses identified noticeable differences in the composition of conventional silver amalgams compared to copper amalgams. The latter contained very low- or non-detectable amounts of silver and tin. The results showed that SEM–EDS could be a valuable accessory for identifying an unknown human remain.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Scanning electron microscope analysis of elements in amalgam restorations to determine when a deceased person may have lived. A method based on data from Scandinavia

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月4日

查看全文
  • Sandra E. Floberg,
  • Dalia Shwan,
  • Thuyen Michelle Tran,
  • Sigrid I. Kvaal,
  • Jon E. Dahl,
  • Simen E. Kopperud

摘要

When unidentified human remains are found, the aim must be to establish the identity of the individual. Being able to assess the time period when the deceased person has lived, might narrow down the search among missing persons. Dental amalgam alloys contain different elemental metals, and various alloy types have over time been introduced and abandoned at certain times, especially in Scandinavian countries. This study aimed to explore if a scanning electron microscope (SEM–EDS) can be used to determine the chemical composition of different dental amalgam restorations, with the focus to distinguish between copper amalgam and conventional silver amalgam. Six previously commonly used amalgams were selected, and five test samples were prepared from each of them. Each test sample was analysed with SEM–EDS at five separate sites, giving 25 readings for each amalgam brand. The SEM–EDS analyses identified noticeable differences in the composition of conventional silver amalgams compared to copper amalgams. The latter contained very low- or non-detectable amounts of silver and tin. The results showed that SEM–EDS could be a valuable accessory for identifying an unknown human remain.