NEET MDS Lessons
Dental Materials
CLEANING AND PICKLING ALLOYS
The surface oxidation or other contamination of dental alloys is a troublesome occurrence. The oxidation of base metals in most alloys can be kept to a minimum or avoided by using a properly adjusted method of heating the alloy and a suitable amount of flux when melting the alloy . Despite these precautions, as the hot metal enters the mold, certain alloys tend to become contaminated on the surface by combining with the hot mold gases, reacting with investment ingredients, or physically including mold particles in the metal surface. The surface of most cast, soldered, or otherwise heated metal dental appliances is cleaned by warming the structure in suitable solutions, mechanical polishing, or other treatment of the alloy to restore the normal surface condition.
Surface tarnish or oxidation can be removed by the process of pickling. Castings of noble or high-noble metal may be cleaned in this manner by warming them in a 50% sulfuric acid and water solution . . After casting, the alloy (with sprue attached) is placed into the warmed pickling solution for a few seconds. The pickling solution will reduce oxides that have formed during casting. However, pickling will not eliminate a dark color caused by carbon deposition
The effect of the solution can be seen by comparing the submerged surfaces to those that have still not contacted the solution. the ordinary inorganic acid solutions and do not release poisonous gases on boiling (as sulfuric acid does). In either case, the casting to be cleaned is placed in a suitable porcelain beaker with the pickling solution and warmed gently, but short of the boiling point. After a few moments of heating, the alloy surface normally becomes bright as the oxides are reduced. When the heating is completed, the acid may be poured from the beaker into the original storage container and the casting is thoroughly rinsed with water. Periodically, the pickling solution should be replaced with fresh solution to avoid excessive contamination.
Precautions to be taken while pickling
With the diversity of compositions of casting alloys available today, it is prudent to follow the manufacturer's instructions for pickling precisely, as all pickling solutions may not be compatible with all alloys. Furthermore, the practice of dropping a red-hot casting into the pickling solution should beavoided. This practice may alter the phase structure of the alloy or warp thin castings, and splashing acid may be dangerous to the operator. Finally, steel or stainless steel tweezers should not be used to remove castings from the pickling solutions. The pickling solution may dissolve the tweezers and plate the component metals onto the casting. Rubber-coated or Teflon tweezers are recommended for this purpose.
Waxes
Many different waxes are used in dentistry. The composition, form, and color of each wax are designed to facilitate its use and to produce the best possible results.
Applications
o Making impressions
o Registering of tooth or soft tissue positions
o Creating restorative patterns for lab fabrication
o Aiding in laboratory procedures
Classification
a. Pattern waxes-inlay, casting, and baseplate waxes
b. Impression waxes-corrective and biteplate waxes
c. Processing waxes-boxing, utility, and sticky waxes
Types
1) Inlay wax-used to create a pattern for inlay, onlay or crown for subsequent investing and casting in a metal alloy.
2) Casting wax-used to create a pattern for metallic framework for a removable partial denture
3) Baseplate wax-used to establish the vertical dimension. plane of occlusion. and initial arch form of a complete denture
4) Corrective impression wax-used to form a registry pattern of soft tissues on an impression
5) Bite registration wax-used to form a registry pattern for the occlusion of opposing models or casts
6) Boxing wax-used to form a box around an impression before pouring a model or cast
7) Utility wax -soft pliable adhesive wax for modifying appliances, such as alginate impression trays
8) Sticky wax-sticky when melted and used to temporarily adhere pieces of metal or resin in laboratory procedures
Components
a. Base waxes-hydrocarbon (paraffin) ester waxes
b. Modifier waxes-carnauba, ceresin, bees wax, rosin, gum dammar, or microcrystalline waxes
c. Additives-colorants
Reaction-waxes are thermoplastic
Properties
Physical
a. High coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction
b. Insulators and so, cool unevenly; should be waxed in increments to allow heat dissipation
Chemical
a. Degrade prematurely if overheated
b. Designed to degrade into CO2and H2Oduring burnout
Mechanical-stiffness, hardness, and strength depend on modifier waxes used
Manipulation
1. Selection-based on strength for models, casts, or dies
2. Mixing
(1)Proportion the water and powder
(2) Sift powder into water in rubber mixing bowl
(3) Use stiff blade spatula to mix mass on side of bowl
(4) Complete mixing in 60 seconds
3. Placement
(1) Use vibration to remove air bubbles acquired through mixing
(2) Use vibration during placement to help mixture wet and flow into the impression
Introduction
The science of dental materials involves a study of the composition and properties of materials and the way in which they interact with the environment in which they are placed
Selection of Dental materials
The process of materials selection should ideally follow a logical sequence involving
(1) analysis of the problem,
(2) consideration of requirements,
(3) consideration of available materials and their properties, leading to
(4) choice of material.
Evaluation of the success or failure of a material may be used to influence future decisions on materials selection.
Properties of Amalgam.
The most important physical properties of amalgam are
- Coefficient of thermal expansion = 25-1 >ppm/ C (thus amalgams allow percolation during temperature changes)
- Thermal conductivity-high (therefore, amalgams need insulating liner or base in deep restorations)
- Flow and creep. Flow and creep are characteristics that deal with an amalgam undergoing deformation when stressed. The lower the creep value of an amalgam, the better the marginal integrity of the restoration. Alloys with high copper content usually have lower creep values than the conventional silver-tin alloys.
Dimensional change. An amalgam can expand or contract depending upon its usage. Dimensional change can be minimized by proper usage of alloy and mercury. Dimensional change on setting, less than ± 20 (excessive expansion can produce post operative pain)
- Compression strength. Sufficient strength to resist fracture is an important requirement for any restorative material. At a 50 percent mercury content, the compression strength is approximately 52,000 psi. In comparison, the compressive strength of dentin and enamel is 30,000 psi and 100,000 psi, respectively. The strength of an amalgam is determined primarily by the composition of the alloy, the amount of residual mercury remaining after condensation, and the degree of porosity in the amalgam restoration.
- Electrochemical corrosion produces penetrating corrosion of low-copper amalgams but only produces superficial corrosion of high copper amalgams, so they last longer
- Because of low tensile strength, enamel support is needed at margins
- Spherical high-copper alloys develop high tensile strength faster and can be polished sooner
- Excessive creep is associated with silver mercury phase of low-copper amalgams and contributes to early marginal fracture
- Marginal fracture correlated with creep and electrochemical corrosion in low-copper amalgams
- Bulk fracture (isthmus fracture) occurs across thinnest portions of amalgam restorations because of high stresses during traumatic occlusion and/or the accumulated effects of fatigue
- Dental amalgam is very resistant to abrasion
Dental Porcelain and PFM Porcelains
Applications/Use
a. Porcelain inlays and jacket crowns
b. PFM crowns and bridges
c. Denture teeth
Terms
PFM-porcelain fused to metal
Fusing-adherence of porcelain particles into a single porcelain mass
Classification
Dental porcelain is manufactured as a powder. When it is heated to a very high temperature in a special oven, it fuses into a homogeneous mass. The heating process is called baking. Upon cooling, the mass is hard and dense. The material is made in a variety of shades to closely match most tooth colors. Baked porcelain has a translucency similar to that of dental enamel, so that porcelain crowns, pontics, and inlays of highly pleasing appearance can be made. Ingredients of porcelain include feldspar, kaolin, silica in the form of quartz, materials which act as fluxes to lower the fusion point, metallic oxide, and binders. Porcelains are classified into high-, medium-, and low-fusing groups, depending upon the temperature at which fusion takes place.
High-Fusing Porcelains. High-fusing porcelains fuse at 2,400o Fahrenheit or over. They are used for the fabrication of full porcelain crowns (jacket crowns).
Medium-Fusing Porcelains. Medium-fusing porcelains fuse between 2,000o and 2,400o Fahrenheit. They are used in the fabrication of inlays, crowns, facings, and pontics. A pontic is the portion of a fixed partial denture, which replaces a missing tooth.
Low-Fusing Porcelains. Low-fusing porcelains fuse between 1,600o and 2,000o Fahrenheit. They are used primarily to correct or modify the contours of previously baked high- or medium-fusing porcelain restorations. Eg for PFM restorations
Structure
Components
a. Large number of oxides but principally silicon oxide, aluminum oxide. and potassium oxide
b. Oxides are supplied by mixing clay, feldspar, and quartz.
Manipulation
Porcelain powders mixed with water and compacted into position for firing
Shrinkage is 30% on firing because of fusing and so must be made oversized and built up by several firing steps
Properties
1. Physical
a. Excellent electrical and thermal insulation
b. Low coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction
c. Good color and translucency; excellent aesthetics
2. Chemical
a. Not resistant to acids (and can be dissolved by contact with APF topical fluoride treatments)
b. Can be acid-etched with phosphoric acid or hydrofluoric acid for providing microll1echanical retention for cements
3. Mechanical
a. Harder than tooth structure and ,will cause opponent wear
b. Can be polished with aluminum oxide pastes
Denture Teeth
Use-complete or partial dentures
Type
a. Porcelain teeth
b. Acrylic resin teeth
c. Abrasion-resistant teeth (microfilled composite)
Structure and properties
1. Porcelain teeth (high-fusing porcelain)
Only bonded into denture base mechanically. Harder than natural teeth or other restorations and abrades those surfaces. Good aesthetics.Used when patients have good ridge support and sufficient room between the arches
2. Acrylic resin teeth (PMMA [polymethyl methacrylate])
Bonded pseudochemically into the denture base. Soft and easily worn by abrasive foods . Good initial aesthetics
Used with patients with poor ridges and in cases where they oppose natural teeth
3. Abrasion-resistant teeth (microfilled resins)
Bonded pseudochemically into the denture base.Better abrasion resistance then acrylic resin teeth