Influence of surface airborne-particle abrasion and bonding agent application on porcelain bonding to titanium dental alloys fabricated by milling and by selective laser melting.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technologies have provided alternatives to lost-wax casting for the fabrication of titanium frameworks in metal-ceramic fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). The findings on varying metal surface characteristics resulting from application of different fabrication technologies indicate a need to reevaluate the traditional titanium surface conditioning protocols. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effects of surface airborne-particle abrasion (APA) and bonding agent application on the porcelain bond to titanium dental alloys fabricated by subtractive computer numerical controlled (CNC) milling and by additive selective laser melting (SLM) methods. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eight groups of Ti-6Al-4V substrates (n=11) were fabricated-half of them by CNC milling and half by SLM. The groups represented a fully crossed experimental protocol of APA with 110-µm Al2O3 particles under a pressure of 0.2 MPa (intact-controls or abraded) and bonding agent application (with or without bonding agent) for the CNC milled and SLM titanium substrates. Ultra-low fusing dental porcelain was applied to the differently prepared titanium substrates, and the titanium-ceramic bond strength was determined by a 3-point bend test according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 9693-1:2012. Average profile roughness (Ra) values were obtained for intact and APA titanium substrates fabricated by CNC milling and by SLM. Representative titanium-ceramic interfaces were analyzed by using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Titanium-ceramic bond strength data were analyzed statistically by 3-way ANOVA and the Tukey HSD test. Ra data were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA, followed by regression analyses (α=.05). RESULTS: The method applied for the digital fabrication of titanium (either subtractive CNC milling or additive SLM) did not affect the titanium-ceramic bond (P=.247). APA (P<.001), as well as the application of a bonding agent (P<.001), increased the titanium-ceramic bond strength. When these 2 procedures were combined, the porcelain bond strength to CNC milled titanium was 37.3 ±4.1 MPa and that to SLM titanium was 36.7 ±4.9 MPa. APA increased the surface roughness of CNC milled titanium (P=.002) but decreased the roughness of the SLM substrates (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: A protocol comprising APA and application of a bonding agent ensures the highest porcelain bond strength to both CNC milled and SLM titanium, with the obtained values being well above the minimal value for metal-ceramic systems as specified by ISO 9693-1:2012.

Lactational exposure to dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl 169 and nondioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl 155: Effects on rat femur growth, biomechanics and mineral composition.

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are persistent lipophilic environmental pollutants, has a variety of adverse effects on wildlife and human health, including bone mineralization, growth and mechanical strength. The present study evaluated the effects of lactational exposure to nondioxin-like PCB-155 and dioxin-like PCB-169, individually and in combination, on pubertal rat femur development and its biomechanics. After offspring delivery, Wistar rat mothers were divided into four groups, i.e., PCB-169, PCB-155, PCB-155+169 and control, and were administered PCBs intraperitoneally. Data on bone geometry, biomechanics and mineral composition were obtained by analysis of femurs from 42-day-old offspring by microCT scanning, three-point bending test and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Decreased somatic mass and femur size, i.e., mass, periosteal circumference and cross sectional area, were observed in the PCB-169 and PCB-155 groups. Additionally, lactational exposure to planar PCB-169 resulted in harder and more brittle bones containing higher amounts of minerals. Combined exposure to structurally and functionally different PCBs demonstrated only mild alterations in bone width and mineralization. To conclude, our results demonstrated that alterations, observed on postnatal day 42, were primarily induced by PCB-169, while toxicity from both of the individual congeners may have been reduced in the combined group.

Influence of thermo-mechanical cycling on porcelain bonding to cobalt-chromium and titanium dental alloys fabricated by casting, milling, and selective laser melting.

PURPOSE: The aim has been to determine the effect of thermo-mechanical cycling on shear-bond-strength (SBS) of dental porcelain to Co-Cr and Ti-based alloys fabricated by casting, computer-numerical-controlled milling, and selective-laser-melting (SLM). METHODS: Seven groups (n=22/group) of metal cylinders were fabricated by casting (Co-Cr and commercially pure-cpTi), milling (Co-Cr, cpTi, Ti-6Al-4V) or by SLM (Co-Cr and Ti-6Al-4V) and abraded with airborne-particles. The average surface roughness (Ra) was determined for each group. Dental porcelain was applied and each metal-ceramic combination was divided into two subgroups - stored in deionized water (24-h, 37°C), or subjected to both thermal (6000-cycles, between 5 and 60°C) and mechanical cycling (105-cycles, 60N-load). SBS test-values and failure modes were recorded. Metal-ceramic interfaces were analyzed with a focused-ion-beam/scanning-electron-microscope (FIB/SEM) and energy-dispersive-spectroscopy (EDS). The elastic properties of the respective metal and ceramic materials were evaluated by instrumented-indentation-testing. The oxide thickness on intact Ti-based substrates was measured with Auger-electron-spectroscopy (AES). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey's HSD and t-tests (α=0.05). RESULTS: The SBS-means differed according to the metal-ceramic combination (p<0.0005) and to the fatigue conditions (p<0.0005). The failure modes and interface analyses suggest better porcelain adherence to Co-Cr than to Ti-based alloys. Values of Ra were dependent on the metal substrate (p<0.0005). Ti-based substrates were not covered with thick oxide layers following digital fabrication. CONCLUSIONS: Ti-based alloys are more susceptible than Co-Cr to reduction of porcelain bond strength following thermo-mechanical cycling. The porcelain bond strength to Ti-based alloys is affected by the applied metal processing technology.