RESUMO
PURPOSE: With gold electroforming system for the double crown, the secondary crown is electroformed directly onto the primary crown. An even thick layer of high precision can be acquired. It is thought that the retention of electroformed outer crown is primarily acquired by the adhesive force (surface tension) through the saliva which is interposed between precisely fitted inner and outer crown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of taper and surface area of inner crown on the retentive force of electroformed outer crown according to the presence of saliva. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 32 titanium inner crowns with cervical diameter of 8 mm and cone angles of 0, 2, 4, 6 degrees, which had same surface area by regulated height, were machined on a lathe. Another 32 titanium inner crowns with cone angles of 0, 2, 4, 6 degrees, which had doubled surface area by increased cervical diameter, were fabricated. Eight specimens of each group, for a total of 64 titanium inner crowns, were prepared. The electroformed outer crowns were fabricated directly on the inner crowns by using electroforming machine(GAMMAT free, Gramm Technik, Germany). The tertiary frameworks were waxed-up on the electroformed outer crown and cast using nonprecious alloy(Rexillium(R)III, Jeneric(R)/ Pentronh(R) Inc., USA). The cast metal frameworks were sandblasted with alubimium oxides and cemented using resin cement(Superbond C and B, Sun Medical Co., Japan) over the electroformed copings of each specimen. Then, artificial saliva(Taliva(R), Halim Pharm Co., Korea) was sprayed between the inner and outer crown, and they were connected under 5 kg force. The retentive force was measured by the universal testing machine(Tinius Olsen 1000, Tinius Olsen, USA) with a cross-head speed of 66.67 mm/sec. The direction of cross-head travel was exactly aligned with the path of removal of the respective specimens. This measurement procedures for retentive force of electroformed outer crown with artificial saliva were repeated in the same way without presence of artificial saliva. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The following conclusions were drawn: 1. The retentive force of electroformed outer crown was decreased according to increased taper of inner crown(P.05).
