ULTRAHIGH-STRENGTH DENTAL CERAMICS

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE A SUPERIOR DENTAL CERAMIC PROSTHESIS MATERIAL AND FABRICATION SYSTEM TO REPLACE CURRENT GOLD- AND PORCELAIN-BASED TECHNOLOGY. THE AIM OF PHASE I IS TO DEVELOP A NEW, REINFORCED GLASS-CERAMIC MATERIAL WITH OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS SIMILAR TO NATURAL TEETH AND WITH STRENGTH IMPROVED BY MORE THAN A FACTOR OF TWO COMPARED TO THE CURRENT MOST COMPETITIVE DENTAL CERAMIC. THE NEW MATERIAL SHOULD ALLOW CONSTRUCTION OF ALL-CERAMIC BRIDGES AND CROWNS WITH A MINIMUM THICKNESS ON OCCLUSAL SURFACES OF 0.75 MM OR LESS, WHICH IS ONE-HALF OF THE CURRENT ALLOWABLE MINIMUM FOR CERAMIC CROWNS. THE PROPOSAL INVOLVES USE OF MODERN COLLOIDAL PROCESSING TECHNIQUES AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF COMPOSITE DESIGN IN BRITTLE MATERIALS TO IDENTIFY SEVERAL PROMISING ULTRAHIGH-STRENGTH SYSTEMS TO BE EXPERIMENTALLY EVALUATED. IN PHASE II, THE MATERIAL AND FABRICATION SYSTEM WILL BE OPTIMIZED AND CLINICAL TESTING INITIATED.