Metals in Dentistry

Dent 301
Dr Layla Abu-Naba’a
PhD, MFD Irl
Assistant Professor of Prosthodontics

1
Definitions &
Concepts

2
Metals
 Are opaque hard (except
mercury) and lustrous structures
at ambient temperatures
 They form in crystalline structures
in which the atoms are closely
packed
 The resulting assembly is both
heat and electricity conductive.
3
Alloys
 A mixture of two or more metals
 Each metal adds or modifies the
resulting properties
 Dental applications are famous

4
Alloys
 Famous alloys are named after
the predominant components:
– Steel alloys
– Gold alloys
– Chrome cobalt alloys
– Amalgam
– Titanium alloys
– others

5
Shaping alloys
Amalgamation with mercury
✂

✂ Amalgam filling
Casting at high temperatures
✂

✂ Crowns
✂ Inalys
✂ Onlays
✂ Denture bases
Cold working (wrought alloys)
✂

✂ Orthodontic wires
✂ Gold foil fillings 6
Properties
Terms related to metal
technology

7
Bio-compatibility

Susceptibility
patient,
Dentist
lab technician (casting, grinding,
polishing)
8
Bio-compatibility

High Noble > Noble> non-noble?

Less corrosion→ less exposure
to metalic products
Allergic responses

9
 Nickel
– female > male
– 9-12%
– ask about jewellery allergy
bridges > Cr-Co partial denture
(more contact)

10
 (contact allergy ) gingival margin,
cheek mucosa, (distant allergy) skin
Beryllium cause contact allergy

berylliosis (lung disease from

inhalation of vapour)

11
Crystal structure
 When cooling or amalgamation ,
Crystals form around impurities
that act as nuclei
 Dendrites extend and become in
contact
 Each crystal is now a grain
separated by boundaries

12
 Forces cause
sliding of
grains but
not
boundaries
13
 More grains
– Rapid cooling
– more nuclei

14
Crystal
arrangements
 Equiaxed: Crystal arranged having
same dimensions around the
nucleus

15
 Elongated: in a fibrous form
produced by forces applied after
re-crystallization temperature

16
Types of Metals

17
Cast Alloys

18
Cast alloys
Location
✂ Intra-coronal
✂ Extra- coronal

Fabrication by
✂ Lost wax technique
✂ formed outside the mouth

19
 Removable

Uses Die with

Waxed Inlay

✂Inlays
✂Onlays

✂partial coverage crown( 3/4 &

7/8)
✂complete coverage crown

✂fixed partial dentures (bridges)

✂Removable partial dentures

20
Cast alloys- Classification

High noble
(Precious metals)
✂60% (Au, Pd, Pt)

✂40% Au

✂Noble

(semiprecious metals)
✂25% (Au, Pd, Pt) 21
Base metal

✂ < 25% noble metals

(Cu,Ni,Ag,Zn,Sn,Ti, Al,Cr, Co,
Br, Fe, C, molybdenum, gallium,
vanadium)

22
 CLASSIFICATION OF ALLOYS
1. Other Crown and Bridge Casting Alloys:

a. ADA Classification System (see phase diagrams)

(1) High-gold alloys (IMMUNE)
(a) Au-Pt-Pd
(b) Au-Pd-Ag

CORROSION

ve
(2) Low-gold alloys (SEMI-IMMUNE)

ti
Ac
(3) Gold-substitute alloys (PASSIVE)
(a) Ag-Pd (85% of all PFM alloys) Passive
(b) Pd-X Immune
(4) Base-metal alloys (PASSIVE)
(a) Ni-Cr (with or without Be) TIME
(b) Co-Cr
(c) Fe-Cr
(5) Titanium alloys (PASSIVE)
(6) Other alloys – Al Bronzes, Brasses (ACTIVE)

Au–Pt–Pd → Au-Pd-Ag → Pd-Ag → Pd-X → Ni-Cr23 …

Gold alloys
Carats (karats)
24- 100% gold
12- 50% gold
Other precious
✂Pd , Pt

24
 CLASSIFICATION OF ALLOYS
1. Full Gold Crown and Bridge Alloys (REVIEW of precious alloys)

a. ADA Classification System (see phase diagrams)

(1) Type I ≥ 83% Au+ (Non-heat hardenable) -- inlay
(2) Type II ≥ 78% Au+ (Non-heat hardenable) -- inlay, onlay, …
(3) Type III ≥ 78% Au+ (Heat hardenable) -- onlay, crown
(4) Type IV ≥ 75% Au+ (Heat hardenable) -- crown, bridge
partial denture frame

b. Effects of Alloys Components:

(1) Gold (Au) → corrosion resistance
(2) Copper (Cu) → increased hardness
(3) Silver (Ag) → counteracts orange color of copper
(4) Palladium (Pd) → increased MP and hardness
(5) Platinum (Pt) → increased MP
(6) Zinc (Zn) → oxygen scavenger

25
Non-precious alloys

very stiff, cheap, hard

Uses:
✂Partial dentures frame

✂Porcelain bonding alloys

✂Attachments:

bars, overdenture att, precision

att, non-precision att, implant att
26
Non-precious alloys
Partial dentures frame:
✂

✂ Cr-Co
✂ Ni-Cr
✂ Gold IV

27
Non-precious alloys
✂Porcelain
bonding alloys
✂ stand high temp
✂ Added indium &
tin to produce
oxides in high
temp
✂ No Ag Cu- green
stain
28
CLASSIFICATION OF PFM ALLOYS
1. Other Crown and Bridge Casting Alloys (cont):

b. Effects of Alloying Components in Gold Alloys:

(1) Au, Ag, Pd, Pt → corrosion resistance
(2) Pt → increased MP
(3) Pd → increased MP and hardness
(4) Ag → cheaper
(5) Fe, In, Sn → oxide formers for gold alloys
(6) Zn → oxygen scavenger

c. Effects of Alloying Components in Other Alloys:

(1) Cr, Ti → oxide
(2) formers in other alloys
Ni, Co, Fe → increased modulus

opaque body

metal oxide 29
Solders

Uses:
✂join metals together (units of
bridge, contacts, space
maintainer)
✂repair cast restorations (close

holes, marginal deficiencies)

30
31
Solders
Types:
✂gold based alloys

✂silver based alloys with tin

(lower temp and stronger

joint)

32
Solders - Flux

a material applied o the

surfaces to be joined by
soldering
✂increase flow of solder,

increase wetting
✂Contains borax for gold

solders
33
Cast denture framework with a
Orthodontic cast retainer made of
new high-strength Ti-6Al-7Nb
super-elastic Ti-Ni alloy.
alloy.

34
Wrought Alloys

35
Definition

✂Shaped after casting by

mechanical force
compression (malleability) or
tension (ductility)
✂annealed: strengthen by

heat
36
Types

✂SS(Fe, C, Ni, Cr, Mg)

✂high noble (Pg, P)

✂NiTi (highly flexible)

37
Forms

Endodontic reamers and

files
✂twisted to produce flutes or

cutting edges
✂Brackets and bands cut

and shaped 38
39
40
Forms
Wires: various
resistance to bending is
created by annealing
✂removable partial

dentures (clasps)
✂arch wires, retainers

✂ligature wires in ortho

and surgery
41
42
Implant materials

Uses:
✂To anchor prosthesis (crown,

bridge, removable denture,

extra-oral prosthesis)
✂Types:

✂ Sub-periosteal
✂ trans-osteal
43
✂ endo-osteal
44
Sheet/Plate Titanium

45
Implant materials - composition

Ti alloys
✂painted by:

✂ calcium phosphates
✂ plasma proteins

other materials -not commonly used

✂ Ceramics
✂ Composites

✂ Polymers

46
 Endodontic posts

✂Posts are
placed in the
pulp canals of a
sealed tooth.
✂Supports build

up of a core
47
Endodontic posts-Types

✂metal, fibre reinforced resin,

ceramic
✂custom, preformed

48
Endodontic posts-Types

By insertion:
✂

✂ active (threaded)
✂ passive ( friction and cement

retention)
✂ parallel or tapered

49
Endodontic posts-Types
By composition:
Metal
fibre reinforced resin
Ceramic
By form
Custom
preformed
50
Thank You

51