Med-Tech Innovation Materials
A New DENTAL CERAMIC
The challenge was to create an improved fluorcanasite composition that is suitable for CAD/CAM processing. Dr James Lapworth, Dr Sarah Pollington and Professor Ric van Noort of the University of Sheffield and Dr Andrew Tingey of Fusion IP outline their innovative development.
ncreasing demands are being placed on dental restorations, with patients requiring increased longevity and better, more natural aesthetics from their crowns and bridges. This demand is driving the development of new ceramic materials that must also conform to the challenging requirements of rapid computer aided design (CAD)/computer aided manufacturing (CAM) processing techniques. This article focuses on the development of a new dental ceramic and its progress to market.
I Dental restorations
Recent years have seen a boom in dental restorations, driven by an ageing population, whereby people are
12 ¦ April 2011
living and working longer and remaining active socially. In addition, Western society and an emerging middle class in developing economies have an ever increasing interest in personal appearance and improving their image. This increasing demand for natural-looking restorations
has prompted the development of new materials (Table I). The traditional “black” amalgam fillings, which are a mixture of approximately 50% mercury and powdered alloys consisting of silver, tin, zinc and copper, are being replaced by “white” composite resins; and demand for crowns and bridges made from gold or nickel alloy is declining in favour of more natural-looking ceramic materials. In addition to good aesthetics, ceramics exhibit many other desirable material properties, including good
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