Dental Assistant Program

Introduction of Dental
Material Science
Dental Material Science

• A science dealing with the development, properties, manipulation,

evolution and evaluation of dental materials.
ADA Criteria of Dental Material

• Not poisonous or harmful to the body.

• Not harmful or irritating to the tissues of the oral cavity.
• Must help protect the tooth and tissues of the oral cavity.
• Must resemble the natural dentition.
• Must be easily formed and placed in the mouth.
Dental Material Classification
1- Restorative:
Used to repair or replace tooth structure.
• Permanent or temporary.
• Fixed or removable.
• Direct or indirect material.
2- Preventive:
Used to prevent teeth and oral cavity.
• Fluoride.
• Chlorhexidine.
• Fissure sealant.
3- Auxiliary:
Used in the process of fabricating prosthesis.
• Gypsum.
• Impression Material.
• Waxes.
Types of Properties of Dental Materials

A. Mechanical Properties.
B. Physical Properties.
C. Thermal Properties.
D. Biological Properties.
E. Electrical Properties.
F. Optical Properties.
Mechanical Properties
1. Force.
2. Stress.
3. Strain.
4. Resilience.
5. Toughness.
6. Hardness.
7. Brittleness.
8. Fatigue Strength.
1. Force
• Is any push or pull on matter.

• Force is generated through one body pushing or pulling on another.

• The result of an applied force on a body is change in position.

• If the body remains at rest, the force causes the body to deform or
change its shape.
2. Stress

• Is the internal reaction within the material that is equal in magnitude

opposite in direction to the applied force.
Types of Stress
1. Compressive: pushes the material together
crushing biting forces is an example.

2. Tensile: pulls or stretches the material.

3. Shear: is the breakdown of the material as a

result of something sliding over the two
areas.

Example: an incisor used for cutting.

3. Strain

• Is the change or deformation within the material as the result of

stress.
4. Resilience

• Is the ability of the material to resist permanent deformation.

5. Toughness

• Is the ability of the material to resist fracture.

6. Hardness

• Is the resistance to wear or abrasion.

Example: Gold.
7. Brittleness

• Is the material behavior where a material undergoes fracture or

rupture with little or no prior permanent deformation.
• Brittle materials are sensitive to internal cracks.

Example: Ceramics.
8. Fatigue Strength

• Materials are subjected to intermittent stress over long period of

time.
Physical Properties

1. Solubility.
2. Flow.
3. Adhesion.
1. Solubility
• Is the degree to which a substance will dissolve in a given amount of
another substance.
• A material that dissolves easily is of limited use because it will wash
away and leave the tooth structure exposed.

Example: Temporary Filling and Cement.

2. Flow
• The dental material must be pliable enough to be placed in the
preparation, and to be able to fit in the corners, boxes, and pits of the
tooth.

A. Fluidity: is the tendency of liquids to flow.

B. Viscosity: is the resistance to flow.

3. Adhesion

• The force that causes unlike materials to adhere to each other.

• Without proper adhesion, microleakage may occur and the

restoration may be lost.
 Characteristics of a Material that Affect
Adhesion are:

1. Wetting.
2. Viscosity.
3. Surface characteristics.
4. Film thickness.
1. Wetting

• Is the ability of a liquid to flow over the surface and to come into
contact with the small irregularities that may be present.
2. Viscosity

• Is the property of a liquid that causes it not to flow easily.

3. Surface Characteristics

• Is where a liquid flows more easily on a rough surface than on a very

smooth surface.
4. Film Thickness

• The thinner the film, the stronger the adhesive junction.

Thermal Properties
• A change in temperature in the oral cavity due to either a hot or cold
product.

These thermal changes are of major concern for two reasons:

1. Contraction and expansion.
2. The need to protect the pulp from thermal shock.
Thermal Properties

1. Thermal Conductivity.
2. Thermal Coefficient of expansion.
1. Thermal Conductivity

• Metals are better heat conductor than non metals.

Example: A large metallic (Amalgam) filling near to the

pulp may cause the patient considerable discomfort
when hot or cold foods produce temperature change.
2. Thermal Coefficient of Expansion

• The ratio that a material expands in accordance with changes in

temperature.
 Importance of Thermal Coefficient of
Expansion in Dentistry
• Restorative material should have close matching as possible between
tooth and restoration to avoid marginal leakage.

Marginal leakage lead to:

• Recurrent Caries.
• Discoloration.
• Hypersensitivity.
Biological Properties
• Should be biocompatible with oral cavity.

1. Non toxic.
2. Non irritant.
3. Non allergic.
4. Non carcinogenic.
5. Non harmful to the pulp.
Electrical Properties
• Galvanic Action: is an electrical current created when two
different or dissimilar metal are come together.

Conditions:
• Saliva.
• Two metallic components of different composition.
Optical Properties

1. Transparency.
2. Translucency.
3. Opacity.
1. Transparency

• Is a property of a material, that allows

the passage of light.
• The objects can be clearly seen through
them.
• This material not used in oral cavity.

Example: Glass.
2. Translucency
• Is a property of the material, which
allows the passage of some light and
scatters or reflects the rest.
• The object cannot be clearly seen
through them.

Example: Tooth enamel, Porcelain,

Composite material.
3. Opacity

• Is a property of the material that prevents the passage of light.

• The objects cannot be seen through them.

Example: Amalgam material.

Other Properties
Corrosion

• Is as type of reaction within a metal when it

comes into contact with corrosive products.

• Most corrosion is only a surface discoloration that

can be easily removed by polishing.
Water Sorption

• It represents the amount of water adsorbed on the

surface and absorbed into the body of the material.

Example:
A. Hydrocolloid (Alginate) impression materials.
B. Acrylic resin denture base materials have the
tendency for water sorption.
Curing
• Auto-cured material hardens as the result of a chemical
reaction of the materials being mixed together.

• Light-cured material does not harden until it has been

exposed to a curing light.

• Dual-cured some curing takes place as the material is

mixed, but the final cure does not occur until the material
has exposed to light.
 Thank You
Reference: Modern Dental Assisting, 12th Edition
Chapter: 43