Introduction to Dental Materials

Dr Nadeem Hafeez Khokhar

Associate Professor
Head Basic Dental sciences
 History

• Principal goal of dentistry is to maintain and

improve the quality of life of the dental patient.

HOW ??
1. By preventing disease
3. Improving mastication efficiency
2. Relieving pain
 Goal of dentistry

Disease: Caries

• Enhancing speech
and
• Improving
appearance.

Ortho treatment
 Materials used for tooth replacement

1. Animal teeth
2. Human teeth
3. Seashells
4. Ivory
5. Bone
6. Implants
1. Hydroxyapatite
2. Cobalt Chromium
3. Titanium The denture, fabricated in 1789 for George
Washington, is carved from hippopotamus tusk
and originally contained eight human teeth.
Classification of material used in dentistry
• Four possible classes
of materials are used
in dentistry: i.e.
1. Metal,
2. Ceramics,
3. Polymers &
4. Composites.
• Despite the
improvement in
physical properties
none of the material
are permanent.
 Metals (characteristics)
Oldest of 4 used in dentistry as dental materials.
• A metal is defined with certain characteristics like
1. Thermal & electrical conductivity,
2. Dductility (they can bend without breaking),
3. Oopacity (do not transmit light) &
4. Lustre (they have a surface that strongly reflect light & appears
bright & shiny)

• Another characteristic of metal is elements which tend to

dissolve in water or aqueous solution producing atoms with
positive charges.

80% of elements in periodic table are metals.

All metals are white actually grey except gold (yellow), copper (red).
The only metal in liquid form is mercury
 Metals
• Metal solidify with their
atoms in a very regular
or crystalline
arrangement often in
cubes.
• The increasing strength
of metallic bond causes
metal to have
increasing melting
temperatures.
• Mercury is used in
dentistry to mix with
particles of other metals
such as silver, tin, &
copper to form
amalgam.
 Metal
• Because of their increasing
strength, stability &
transformation into different
shapes. They are extensively
used to produce/replace loss
tooth structures as crowns Metal crown bridge
• Inlay : When portion of teeth to
be replaced is within the cusps.
This type of restoration is called
Inlay.
• Onlay : When portion of teeth to
be replaced involves one or
more cusp but entire crown.
 Metal Uses
• Most instruments
and equipment
used in dentistry
are made up of
metals especially
steel (no
corrosion,
economical,
sterilizable & can
be sharpened).
 Ceramics

• Ceramics are combination of the metallic and

non-metallic elements.
• They are manufactured by fusing together
oxide powders (such as silicon, aluminum,
calcium & magnesium) in oven at high
temperatures.
• Glass, Concrete, fine crystals & gypsums are
all ceramics.
• Most coloring pigments agent used or
dentistry are ceramic oxides hence any color
can be produced.
 Characteristics

• Glass ceramics are used

extensively as fillers for
dental composites. They
are also used in several
dental cements &
temporary restorative
materials.
• Porcelain a special type
of ceramics extensively
used in dentistry &
other industries.
 Ceramics uses

• In dentistry the use of ceramics is limited due to

their low fracture resistance as compared to
metals.
• Recently materials with improved fracture
resistance have been developed for inlays, onlays
& full crown restorations.
• Because of their excellent biological properties,
ceramics are also used extensively as implant
materials, either alone or as a coating for metal
substructures made from titanium placed directly
into maxilla or mandible.
Implant
 Polymers

• Widely used in the market as vinyl (nylon)

polymers, gelatin (natural), cellulose, DNA
protein, rubber, silicon.
• These are giant long chain (carbon) organic
molecules.
• Covalent bond within each molecule having
tremendous strength in one direction, e.g.
breaking of nylon thread by pulling (elasticity).
• Poor conductor of electricity & heat.
 Uses
• Silicon polymer made from
silicon-oxygen bonds is used
as an impression materials.
• Polymers are only used to
make teeth & denture base
for edentulous patients.
• Temporary restorative Denture base polymer

material for onlay / inlay,

temporary crown.
• Used as adhesive agents to
enhance bonding, sealant of
pits & fissures.

Silicon rubber impression

 Composite
Composites are mixture of two or more of
first three classes in which different
components remain distinct from one
another in the final structure. e.g. fiber
glass, polymer reinforced with fine glass
fibers.
They remains physically separate &
uniformly distributed throughout the
polymer matrix.
 Historical background
• Dentistry as a specialty is believed to have begun
about 3000B.C.
• Phoenicians (2500 B.C) and Etruscans (after 800B.C)
used gold bands and wires as partial dentures
• Modern dentistry began in 1728, when Pierre
Fauchard (father of dentistry) published a treatise
describing many types of dental restorations
including artificial denture with ivory
• In 1756 Pfaff described a method of taking
impression in mouth with wax and making a model
with plaster of Paris.
• De Chamant in 1792 patented a process for the
construction of porcelain teeth.
 Historical background
• In 1895 G V Black (pioneer of restorative
dentistry) brought dentistry to its peak.
• In 1919 the National Bureau of Standards
(now NIST National Institute of Standards
and Technology) set up evaluation and
selection of dental amalgam for use in federal
service.
• In 1928 the Dental Research Fellowship at
NBS was assumed by ADA. It was the
enthusiasm of the member of this team that
first course in dental material was inducted in
Dental schools.
 American Dental Association
• Measurement of physical and chemical properties of
dental material that are of clinical significance.
• Developments of new material, instruments and test
methods
• It issues seal of approval to instruments and
materials fit for use in dentistry.
• The ASC (Accredited Standard Committee) MD156
develops specifications for all dental products except
X-ray films and drugs.
• FDA (food and drug administration) protects the
public from hazardous or ineffective medical and
dental devices like x-rays and drugs.
 International Standards
• FDI (Fĕdĕration Dentaire Internationale) and
ISO (International Standard Organization) are
working toward standardization of dental
materials and devices.
• ISO is composed of standard organizations
from more than 80 countries.
• The responsibility of this organization is to
standardize terminology and test methods
and to determine specifications for dental
materials , instruments, appliances and
equipments.