Mechanical Properties Of Reused Lithium Disilicate Glass-Ceramic Of Ips Empress 2 System / 대한치과보철학회지

This investigation was designed to estimate the biaxial flexure strength and fracture toughness of lithium disilicate glass-ceramics of IPS Empress 2 system pressed with as-received ingots and their sprue buttons. Two groups of the lithium disilicate glass-ceramics were prepared as follows: group 1 is ingot-pressed group; group 2 is sprue button-pressed group. A ball-on-three-ball test was used to determine biaxial flexure strength (BFS) of disks in wet environment. Scanning electron microscopy(SEM) analysis was conducted to observe the microstructure of the ceramics. Unpaired t-test showed that there were no differences in the mean biaxial flexure strength (BFS) and KIC values between group 1 and 2 (p>0.05). Two groups showed similar values in the KIC and the strength at 5% failure probability. The SEM micrographs of the IPS Empress 2 glass-ceramic showed a closely packed, multi-directionally interlocking pattern of numerous lithium disilicate crystals protruding from the glass matrix. The lithium orthophosphate crystals could not be observed on the fracture surface etched. There was no a marked difference of the microstructure between group 1 and 2. Although there were no tests including color stability, casting accuracy, etc., the results of this study implied that we could reuse the sprue button of the pressed lithium disilicate glass-ceramic of IPS Empress 2 system.

FLEXURE STRENGTH AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF IPS EMPRESS 2 GLASS-CERAMIC ON HEAT PRESSING AND HEAT TREATMENTS / 대한치과보철학회지

This investigation was designed to determine whether heat-pressing and/or simulated heat treatments affected the flexure strength and the microstructure of the lithium disilicate glassceramic in the IPS Empress 2 system. Four groups of the specimens were prepared as follows group 1 - as-received material ; group 2 - heat-pressed material ; group 3 - heat pressed and simulated initial heat-treated material ; group 4 - heat-pressed and the simulated heat-treated material with full firings for a final restoration. The three-point bending test and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis was conducted for the purpose of this study. The flexure strength of group. 2 was significantly higher than that of group 1. However, there were no significant differences in strength among group 2, 3, and 4, and between group 1 and 4. The SEM micrographs of the lithium disilicate glass-ceramic showed the closely packed, multi-directionally interlocking microstructure of numerous lithium disilicate crystals protruding from the glass matrix. The crystals of the heat-pressed materials (group 2, 3, and.4) were a little denser and about two times bigger than those of the as-received material (group 1). This change of microstructure is more obviously exhibited particularly between group 1 and 2. However, there was no a marked difference among group 2, 3, and 4 after the heat pressing procedure. Although there were significant increase of the strength and some changes of the microstructure after the heat-pressing operation, the conr bination of the heat-pressing and the simulated subsequent heat treatments did not produce the increase of strength of IPS Empress 2 glass-ceramic.