1

ALLOYS IN
DENTISTRY
Dr. Mamata Dugaraju
PG 1st year
Department of prosthodontics
 CONTENTS
2

 INTRODUCTION
 CLASSIFICATIONS
 PROPERTIES OF EACH METAL
 NOBLE ALLOYS
 BASE METAL ALLOYS
 TITANIUM ALLOYS
 WROUGHT ALLOYS:
STAINLESS STEEL ALLOYS
NICKEL TITANIUM ALLOYS
ELGILOY
 CONCLUSION
 REFERENCES
3

 METAL : Metal is an opaque lustrous chemical substance that is good

conductor of heat and when polished is good reflector of light.

 ALLOY: A mixture of two or more metals or metalloids that are

mutually soluble in the molten state; distinguished as binary, ternary,
quaternary, etc., depending on the number of metals within the mixture;
alloying elements are added to alter the hardness, strength, and
toughness of a metallic element, thus obtaining properties not found in a
pure metal; alloys may also be classified on the basis of their behavior
when solidified
 ALLOY CLASSIFICATION
4

 Based on Noble metal content

 Based on Mechanical properties
 Based on Classification by principal elements
 Based on dental applications
 Revised American Dental Association
Classification of Prosthodontic Alloys
5

CLASS REQUIRED REQUIRED REQUIRED

NOBLE GOLD TITANIUM
CONTENT (%) CONTENT CONTENT (%)
(%)
HIGH NOBLE ALLOYS ≥60 ≥40

TITANIUM AND ≥85

TITANIUM ALLOYS
NOBLE ALLOYS ≥25

PREDOMINANTLY <25
BASE MATERIALS
 ANSI/ADA Specification No. 5,
Mechanical Properties of Alloy
6

ALLOY DESCRIPTI USE YIELD ELONGATI

TYPE ON STRENG ON
TH
TYPE 1 SOFT Restorations subjected to low <140 18
stress: some inlays

TYPE 2 MEDIUM Restorations subjected to 140-200 18

moderate stress: inlays and
onlays
TYPE 3 HARD Restorations subjected to high 201-340 12
stress: crowns, thick-veneer
crowns, short-span fixed dental
prostheses
TYPE 4 EXTRA Restorations subjected to very >340 10
HARD high stress: thin-veneer crowns,
long-span fixed dental
prostheses, removable dental
prostheses
 BASED ON PRINCIPAL
7
ELEMENTS
 Most abundant metal in the alloy. (Eg: Palladium
based alloy)
Or
 Two or three or more main elements in alloy
Eg: Pd-Ag; Co-Cr
 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON DENTAL
APPLICATION
8
 Click icon to add picture

9 NOBLE AND BASE METAL ALLOYS

 PROPERTIES OF NOBLE
10
ALLOYS
ELEMEN SYMB MELTING COLO COMMENTS
T OL TEMPERATU R
RE
RUTHINIU Ru 231 white Grain refiner, hard
M

RHODIUM Rh 1966 Silver Grain refiner, soft, ductile

white
PALLADI Pd 1554 white Hard, malleable, ductile
UM
OSMIUM Os 3045 Bluish Not used in dentistry
white
IRIDIUM Ir 2410 Silver Grain refiner, very hard
white
PLATINU Pt 1772 Bluish Tough, ductile, malleable
M white
GOLD Au 1064 Yellow Ductile, malleable, soft,
conductive
 PROPERTIES OF BASE METAL ALLOYS
11

ELEMEN SYMB MELTING COLO COMMENTS

T OL TEMPERATU R
RE
NICKEL Ni 1453 white Hard

COPPER Cu 1083 Reddish Malleable, ductile, conductive

ZINC Zn 419 Bluish Soft, brittle, oxidizes

white
GALLIUM Ga 29 Grayish Low melting
white
SILVER Ag 961 Soft, malleable, ductile,
conductive
TIN Sn 232 White Soft

INDIUM In 156 Gray Soft

white
 GOLD (Au)
12

 Pure gold is a soft, malleable, ductile metal that has a

rich yellow color with a strong metallic luster.
 Although pure gold is the most ductile and malleable
of all metals, it is relatively low in strength.
 The density of gold depends somewhat on the
condition of the metal, whether it is cast, rolled, or
drawn into wire.
 Small amounts of impurities have a pronounced effect
on the mechanical properties of gold and its alloys.
CARAT AND FINENESS OF GOLD-BASED
ALLOYS
13

 The gold content of gold containing alloys has been described on

the basis of the carat, or in terms of fineness, rather than by
weight percentage
 The term carat refers only to the gold content of the alloy; a
carat represents a 1 ⁄24 part of the whole.
 Thus 24 carat indicates pure gold. The carat of an alloy is
designated by a small letter k, for example, 18k or 22k gold.
 Fineness also refers only to the gold content, and represents the
number of parts of gold in each 1000 parts of alloy. Thus 24k
gold is the same as 100% gold or 1000 fineness (i.e., 1000 fine)
 PLATINUM(Pt)
14

 Platinum is a bluish white metal; is

tough, ductile, and malleable; and can
be produced as foil or fine-drawn wire.
 Pure platinum has numerous
applications in dentistry because of its
high fusing point and resistance to oral
conditions and elevated temperatures.
 increases the hardness and elastic
qualities of gold, and some dental
casting alloys
 Tends to lighten the color of yellow in
gold-based alloys.
 PALLADIUM(Pd)
15

 Palladium is a white metal somewhat darker than platinum.

 Oxygen scavenger
 Not used in the pure state in dentistry, but is used extensively
in dental alloys.
 Palladium can be combined with gold, silver, copper, cobalt,
tin, indium, or gallium for dental alloys.
 Have a pronounced effect on whitening yellow gold-based
alloys.
 Alloys of palladium and the other elements previously
mentioned are available as substitutes for yellow-gold alloys,
and the mechanical properties of the palladium-based alloys
may be as good as or better than many traditional gold-based
alloys.
 IRIDIUM (Ir), RUTHENIUM (Ru), AND
RHODIUM (Rh)
16

 Iridium and ruthenium are used in small amounts in dental alloys as grain
refiners to keep the grain size small.
 A small grain size is desirable because it improves the mechanical
properties and uniformity of properties within an alloy. As little as 0.005%
(50 ppm) of iridium is effective in reducing the grain size. Ruthenium has a
similar effect.
 The grain-refining properties of these elements are largely due to their
extremely high melting points
 Thus these elements do not melt during the casting of the alloy and serve as
nucleating centers for the melt as it cools, resulting in a fine-grained alloy.
 Rhodium also has a high melting point (1966° C) and has been used in
alloys with platinum to form wire for thermocouples. These thermocouples
help measure the temperature in porcelain furnaces used to make dental
restorations.
 17

BASE METALS
 SILVER(Ag)
18

 Silver is a malleable, ductile white metal. It

is the best-known conductor of heat and
electricity and is stronger and harder than
gold but softer than copper
 Foods containing sulfur compounds cause
severe tarnish on silver, and for this reason
silver is not considered a noble metal in
dentistry.
 Pure silver is not used in dental
restorations because of the black sulfide
that forms on the metal in the mouth.
 Adding small amounts of palladium to
silver-containing alloys prevents the rapid
corrosion of such alloys in the oral
environment
19

 In gold-based alloys, silver is effective in

neutralizing the reddish color of alloys containing
appreciable quantities of copper.
 In palladium-based alloys, silver is important in
developing the white color of the alloy
 Copper(Cu)
20

 Copper is a malleable and ductile metal with high

thermal and electrical conductivity and a
characteristic red color.
 When added to gold-based alloys, copper imparts a
reddish color to the gold and hardens the alloy.
 Copper is also commonly used in palladium-based
alloys, where it can be used to reduce the melting
point and strengthen the alloy.
 The ratio of silver and copper must be carefully
balanced in gold- and palladium-based alloys,
because silver and copper are not miscible.
 ZINC(Zn)
21

 Zinc is a blue-white metal with a tendency to

tarnish in moist air. In its pure form, it is a
soft, brittle metal with low strength.
 When heated in air, zinc oxidizes readily to
form a white oxide of relatively low density.
 This oxidizing property is exploited in dental
alloys.
 Although zinc may be present in quantities
of only 1% to 2% by weight, it acts as a
scavenger of oxygen when the alloy is
melted.
 Thus zinc is referred to as a deoxidizing
agent.
 INDIUM(In)
22

 Indium is a soft, gray-white metal

 Indium is not tarnished by air or water
 Recently, indium has been used in greater amounts (up to
30% by weight) to impart a yellow color to palladium silver
alloy
 TIN(Sn)
23

 Tin is a lustrous, soft, white

metal that is not subject to
tarnish in normal air.
 Some gold-based alloys contain
limited quantities of tin, usually
less than 5% by weight.
 It combines with platinum and
palladium to produce a
hardening effect, but also
increases brittleness.
 GALLIUM(Ga)
24

 Gallium is a grayish metal that

is stable in dry air but tarnishes
in moist air.
 Gallium is not used in its pure
form in dentistry, but is used as
a component of some gold- and
palladium based dental alloys,
especially ceramic alloys.
 The oxides of gallium are
important to the bonding of the
ceramic to the metal.
 NICKEL(NI)
25

 Nickel has limited application

in gold- and palladium-based
dental alloys, but is a common
component in non noble dental
alloys.
 When used in small quantities
in gold-based alloys, nickel
whitens the alloy and increases
its strength and hardness.
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26 NOBLE METAL ALLOYS

 GOLD BASED ALLOYS
27
 These alloys are generally yellow in
color
 Type 1 : soft designed for inlays in less
stress areas
 Type 2: widely used for inlays because
of their superior mechanical properties,
but they have less ductility than type 1
alloys.
 Type 3: for constructing crowns and
onlays for high-stress areas.
 Type 4: Are used in high-stress areas
such as bridges and partial denture
frameworks.
 Higher silver and copper content reduces
the corrosion resistance of these alloys.
These reduced gold alloys have higher
hardness and yield strength than their
high noble counterparts.
 SILVER-PALLADIUM ALLOYS
28

 These alloys are white and predominantly silver in composition, but

they contain at least 25% of palladium to provide nobility and
increase the tarnish resistance of the alloy.
 They may also contain copper and a small amount of gold.
 The copper-free Ag-Pd alloys may have physical properties similar
to those of a type 3 gold alloy.
 With 15% or more copper, the alloy may have properties more like
those of a type 4 gold alloy.
 The major limitation of Ag-Pd alloys in general and in the Ag-Pd-Cu
alloys in particular is their greater potential for tarnish and corrosion.
 The amount of corrosion expected during service is negligible if the
palladium content is greater than 25%
29

 The colored phase of the Pd-In binary alloy system

is hard and brittle and is not a strengthener.
 Silver, copper, and/or gold can be added to increase
the ductility and improve the castability of the alloy
for dental applications.
 PREDOMINANTLY BASE METAL ALLOYS
30

 Base metal alloys generally comprise the group of

cast metals that rely on chromium for corrosion
resistance.
 Chromium on the surface of the alloy rapidly
oxidizes to form a thin layer of chromium oxide,
which prevents the diffusion of oxygen into the
underlying metals and improves its corrosion
resistance.
 Chromium also strengthens the alloy.
 NICKEL CHROMIUM
31

 These are classified into two types:

With beryllium
Without beryllium
 Beryllium increases castability and promotes the
formation of a stable metal oxide for porcelain
bonding.
 The majority of Ni-Cr alloys are for small castings
such as crowns and Fpds
 COBALT CHROMIUM ALLOYS
32

 Co-Cr alloys are primarily used for casting removable

partial dentures in which high elastic modulus and yield
strength are needed.
 Metallic substructures for PFM restorations.
 These are used as substitute for nickel chromium because
of toxicity of nickel
 Molybdenum increases corrosion resistance and strength
and decreases the thermal expansion coefficient of base
metal alloys.
 The latter is beneficial for porcelain bonding and
minimizes the risk of porcelain cracking or fracture.
33

 Beryllium refines grain size, which increases strength, and lowers the fusion

temperature of the alloys, which improves castability.

 Manganese and silicon also improve the castability of the alloys.

 Carbon forms carbides with any of the components in the alloy that increase the

hardness and yield strength of the alloy but these carbides decrease its ductility.

This strengthening mechanism is required primarily for removable partial

dentures.

 Aluminum in Ni-Cr alloys forms a nickel and aluminum compound, Ni3Al,

which increases both tensile and yield strength

 TITANIUM
34

 Titanium was first discovered by Williams Gregor, a British

mineralogist in 1791
 Titanium is available in the Earths crest as titanium ore
 The use of commercially pure titanium (CP Ti) and titanium alloys
for dental applications has increased significantly since a description
of its applications was first reported in 1977.
 These metals can be used for all-metal and metal-ceramic prostheses
as well as for implants and removable partial denture frameworks.
 Titanium derives its corrosion protection from a thin passivating
oxide film (approximately 10 nm thick), which forms spontaneously
with surrounding oxygen.
 Titanium is considered the most biocompatible metal used for dental
restorations produced with prostheses .
 Mechanical properties of Titanium
35

 Low modulus of elasticity

 Low density
 Non magnetic
 High melting point of 1688 degreses
 Low coefficient of thermal expansion that makes it
more compatible with glass and ceramic than other
metals
 High biocompatibility and corrosion resistance.
 TITANIUM
36

COMMERCIALLY PURE
TITANIUM
• Alpha
• Near Alpha
• Alpha – Beta
• Beta

TITANIUM ALLOYS
 COMMERCIALLY PURE
37
TITANIUM
 The elastic modulus of CP Ti is comparable to that of tooth
enamel and noble alloys, but it is lower than that of other base
metal alloys

ADVANTAGES
corrosion resistance

Increased Flexural and fatigue

strength
 The ASTM (American Society of Testing and
Materials) Standard F1295 [20]
38

Based on purity evaluated through amount of oxygen

Grade 1 Grade 2

Grade 3 Grade 4
 GRADE 5 OR TITANIUM
39
ALLOYS
 Grade 5 refers to the combinations of aluminum
(Al) and vanadium (V)
 Ti-6Al-4V(ELI) most utilized due to its better
physical and mechanical properties in comparison
to commercially pure titanium
40

Commercially pure titanium undergoes allotropic transformation above 882 degrees

ALPHA FORM BETA FORM

• Formed below 882 ̊C. • Formed above 882 ̊C.

• Hexagonal close packing.
• Less strength and ductility
comparatively.
• α stabilizers – Alluminium,
Gallium, Nitrogen, Carbon
cause the transformation from
α to β phase to occur at a
higher temperature on
heating.
• Body centered cubic.
• Stronger and more ductile.
• β stabilizers – Molybdenum,
Cobalt, Nickel, Niobium, Copper,
Palladium, Tantalum, Vanadium
cause the transformation from β to
α phase to occur at lower
temperatures on cooling.
41

NEAR ALPHA ALPHA-BETA

• Contains α stabilizers • Contains both α and β

and a small stabilizers.
percentage of β • They are metastable.
stabilizers. • They are heat treatable and
contains α phase at room
• Limited amount of β temperature. They may
phase on cooling contain retained /
transformed β phase.
• Examples:Ti-6Al-4V
42

 The most widely used titanium alloy in dentistry and for general
commercial applications is Ti-6Al-4V , which is an α-β alloy.
 Although this alloy has greater strength than that of CP Ti, it is not as
attractive because of some concerns about health hazards from the slow
release of aluminum and vanadium.
 Hence, replacing vanadium with the same atomic percentage of niobium
yields Ti-6Al-7Nb.
 APPLICATIONS OF TITANIUM
43

Commercially pure (CP) titanium and titanium alloys

containing aluminum and vanadium, or palladium
should be considered potential future materials for
removable partial denture frameworks Excellent
biocompatibility because of their Corrosion resistance,
better accuracy of fit, excellent mechanical properties.
44

 Due to low elastic modulus of connectors, there is a

chance of debonding with the acrylic.
 Increasing thickness of connector or changing the
design of connector avoids this problem
 In FPDs, Low fusing ceramics should be used with
CP Ti metal and α-β titanium alloys to prevent phase
transformation and prevent oxide layer formation.
 TITANIUM IN IMPLANTS
45

Titanium and its alloys are important in dental and

surgical implants because of their high degree of
biocompatibility, strength and corrosion resistance.
The main reason for the wide application of titanium in
implantology is their excellent osseointegration.
The passivating oxide on the implant surface permits
close apposition of physiological fluids, proteins, and hard and
soft tissues to the metal surface.
46

 Titanium, both as a pure metal and as an alloy, is easily passivated,

forming a stable surface oxide that makes the metal corrosion resistant

 The normal level of Ti in human tissue is 50 ppm. Values of 100 to 300

ppm are frequently observed in soft tissues surrounding Ti implants.

 At these levels, tissue discoloration with Ti pigments can be seen.

 This rate of dissolution is one of the lowest of all passivated implant

metals and seems to be well tolerated by the body.

47

 Titanium implants are used as a retentive aid

in several maxillofacial prosthesis.
 METAL CERAMIC PROSTHESIS
48

 The chief objections to the use of dental porcelain as a

restorative material are its low tensile strength and relatively
low shear strength .
 A method of minimizing this disadvantage is to support the
porcelain with a cast alloy substructure made to fit the
prepared teeth provided that a strong bond is attained between
the porcelain veneer and the metal.
 This system is referred to as the porcelain-fused-to-metal
(PFM).
 The metal used is often called a PFM alloy or a metal-ceramic.
The preferred descriptive term of this composite system is
metal-ceramic rather than ceramometal or metaloceramic.
 REQUIREMENTS OF ALLOYS FOR METAL-
CERAMIC APPLICATIONS
49

 (1) they should have the potential to bond to dental

porcelain
 (2) they should exhibit coefficients of thermal
contraction compatible with those of dental
porcelain
 (3) their solidus temperature should be sufficiently
high to resist softening during the sintering of
porcelain.
 PORCELAIN BONDING TO
50
METALS
 The addition of a small quantity of base metal to
noble and high noble alloys promotes oxide
formation on the surface, which promotes chemical
bonding between the alloy and the porcelain.
 For base metal alloys, some oxides may be poorly
adherent oxide to the metal substructure, which can
result in porcelain delaminating from the metal
substrate.
 COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL EXPANSION
51

 The thermal expansion and contraction values of

base metal alloys are generally similar to those of
noble metal alloys.
 The thermal contraction differential between metal
alloys and dental porcelains may, under certain
conditions, contribute to high levels of stress in
porcelain, which can induce cracking of porcelain
or delayed fracture.
 SOLIDUS TEMPERATURE
52

 When an alloy is heated close to its solidus

temperature, it may become susceptible to flow
under its own mass (creep).
 The degree of creep can be enhanced by the size of
the prosthesis and the number of firings that are
required for porcelain veneering.
 All metal-ceramic alloys should have a solidus
temperature that is significantly higher than the
sintering temperature of the porcelain so as to
minimize creep deformation
 LIQUIDUS TEMPERATURE
53

 Liquidus temperature is the lowest temperature at

which an alloy is completely liquid
 Pure metals are fluid and they melt at single
temperature
 Alloys have range of melting temperature
 Difference between solidus and liquidus temperature
is that liquidus temperature is lowest temperature at
which the metal is completely liquid and solidus
temperature is highest temperature at which the
liquid is solid.
DISCOLORATION OF PORCELAIN BY SILVER
54

 Color changes included green, yellow-green, yellow-orange,

orange, and brown hues.
 This discoloration phenomenon has generally been called
“greening.”
 It was likely caused by the colloidal dispersion of silver atoms
entering body and incisal porcelain or the glazed surface from
vapor transport or surface diffusion.
 The extent of porcelain discoloration was most severe for
higher-silver-content alloys, lighter shades, multiple firing
procedures, higher temperatures, body porcelain in direct
contact with the alloy, vacuum firing cycles, and with certain
porcelains containing lower opacifier and higher sodium
contents.
55

 Greening” has occurred even when porcelains were fired

on silver-free alloys.
 This is attributed to vaporization of silver from the walls
of contaminated furnaces that was deposited during prior
firing with silver-containing alloys.
 Placing a graphite block in a contaminated furnace and
operating the furnace through a complete firing cycle has
been used to purge the furnace of silver in preparation for
subsequent firing.
 This process relied on the ability of the graphite to absorb
vaporized silver in the furnace.
 WROUGHT METAL ALLOYS
56

 worked to shape ,formed , hammered -GPT9

 These are Alloys that are worked and adapted

into prefabricated forms to bring about a

change in shape of structure and their
mechanical properties to be use in dental
restorations.
 The work done to the alloy is usually at a

temperature far below the solidus and is

therefore referred to as cold work.
 INDICATIONS
57

 Orthodontic wire and clasps

 Reamers and files in endodontics
 Preformed metal crowns in pedodontic patients
 STAINLESS STEEL
58

 Steel is iron based alloy which contain less than 1.2%

carbon
 When chromium (12-20%) is added to steel it is called
stainless steel
 Based on 3 possible lattice arrangements of iron,
different classes of steels are:
1.Martenisite
2. Austenite
3. Ferrite
 Ferrite
59

 Body centered cubic (BCC)

 Pure iron at room temperature.
 Phase is stable in temperature as high as 912C
 Carbon has very low solubility in ferrite
 Super ferritic steels contain 19-30% Cr and is used for nickel
free brackets.
 High corrosion resistance but low strength
 AUSTENITE
60

 Face centered cubic (FCC)

 Stable form of iron at temperature between 912  C
& 1394  C
 Maximum carbon solubility is 2.1% by weight.
 More corrosion resistance
 MARTENISITE
61

 Body centered tetragonal crystal structure.

 Produced by quenching of austenite to undergo spontaneous,
diffusion less transformation.
 This is a very strong brittle and hard alloy.
 The formation of martensite is actually a strengthening
mechanism of carbon steel.
 Highest Carbon concentrartion
 Nickel-TITANIUM
62

 The term nitinol is derived from its composition

and its place of discovery (Nickel Titanium-
Naval Ordnance Laboratory).

 William J. Buehler along with Frederick Wang,

discovered its properties during research at the
Naval Ordnance Laboratory in 1959.
 Nitinol is difficult to undergo plastic deformation
but increases with temperature increase
63

Nickel –

Composition:
54%

Titanium
– 44%

Cobalt-
2% or less
64

 Transition temperature range above which alloy is

in austenitic and rigid
 Below this temperature it is in martensic phase
which is super elastic
 SHAPE MEMORY OF Ni-Ti
65

The ability of material to remember its original shape after plastic deformation is
called shape memory
Superelasticity is the ability for the metal to undergo large deformations and
immediately return to its undeformed shape upon removal of the external load.

Achieved by 1st establishing a shape

at temperature near 482°C wire will return to its original shape
66

thermally Martensitic
Mechanical Or
Shape Memory induced at oral Super Elasticity Phase
Stress Induced
Ctemperature Transformation
 COBALT CHROMIUM NICKEL ALLOY
67
Composition:

Cobalt – 40%

Chromium – 20%

Also known as ELGILOY.

• It is manufactured in four tempers:
Nickel – 15%

Molybdenum – 7% 1.Soft
Manganese – 2%
2.Ductile
3.Semi Resilient
Carbon – 0.016%
4.Resilient
Beryllium – 0.04%

Iron – 15.8%
68

 Most widely used is soft temper (Elgiloy blue)

 This is easily manipulated and then heat treated to
achieve increased resilience
 Heat treatment of elgiloy blue increases elastic
modulus
 Because of its identical mechanical properties with
stainless steel force delivery in orthodontic wire are
almost same.
 CONCLUSION
69

 Each alloy system has their own pros ad cons

and is developed for a specific application in
dentistry overcoming the drawbacks of its
predecessors.

 A sound knowledge of properties and handling

of the alloys is essential to ensure proper
application in clinical practice and diagnosis
of failures in case they occur.
 REFERENCES
70

 Powers JM, Sakaguchi RL, Craig RG. Craig's

restorative dental materials/edited by Ronald L.
Sakaguchi, John M. Powers. Philadelphia, PA:
Elsevier/Mosby,; 2012.
 Anusavice KJ, Shen C, Rawls HR, editors. Phillips'
science of dental materials. Elsevier Health
Sciences; 2012 Sep 27.