Confirmation of the presence of β(AgHg) in dental amalgam

The presence of the β1 phase in dental amalgam after 60°C heating has been confirmed by x‐ray diffraction, metallography, microhardness tests, and electron beam analysis. It appeared that the γ1 → β1 transformation began at preferred sites, believed to be possibly areas deficient in Hg, and grew outward from these sites. Even after heating for nearly a year, however, some γ1 still remained in the sample.