Dental Laboratory

Dental Making Material Introduction

When choosing a dental material it is important to consider whether the material is designed for the type of restoration and whether you have the correct dental lab equipment to help you perform the restoration. It is also vital to make sure that you have been equipped with the necessary skills to use the materials for correct restorations.

The type of dental dentures you require for your teeth is mainly contributed by the budget you have set to spend. There are several denture making materials used and each has its advantages and disadvantages. In this article, we are going to mainly focus on five dental-making materials, which are; Zirconia, alloy, peek, pmma, and acrylic resin material.

Types of Dental/Denture Making Material

1. Acrylic resin material

The Acrylic resin material also referred to as plastic can be molded and shaped to look like normal teeth.  Acrylic is quite popular with denturists and is the usual go-to material, particularly for partial dentures, but can also be used for complete dentures. Metal hooks are used for the adherence of acrylic dentures to your gums. The dentures adjust along with the nearby teeth and stay affixed.

Pros of Acrylic material

Cost-effective- The acrylic material costs much cheaper than the porcelain dentures, therefore it is sometimes preferred by patients due to its affordability

Acrylic weighs less than Porcelain and therefore guarantees the patient comfort

Durability – Dental technology has enabled acrylic material to last longer.

Cons of Acrylic Material

Dental Technology enables the acrylic material to last for longer, however, they are prone to wear and tear and may require replacement after every 5 to 8 years which attracts a cost.

2. Zirconia

Zirconia contains zirconia Oxide and it’s the most preferred dental material to be used in dentistry. It was embraced and become popular when CAD/CAM was introduced in the dental laboratory process. It is mostly popular among restorative dentists.

Pros of Zirconia

Aesthetic feature- Zirconia is aesthetic but not aesthetic due to its opacity feature of zirconia oxide, however, it has a strong feature that makes it suitable.

Durability – Zirconia is known as the strongest ceramic material. It is 10 times stronger than our natural teeth enamel. Therefore, it can last a long time if correctly restored. It also has minimal chances of cracks or damage but it needs proper maintenance to make it last longer.

Biocompatibility – Zirconia material is most preferred as it does not contain any allergenic material or reaction. However, it is still important for patients to be checked out by a dentist for any allergies.

 Cons of Zirconia

It is not budget-friendly compared to Porcelain or Acrylic and that’s why most dentistry did not use it earlier.

The etching application. Since the surface of zirconia is super-smooth and stronger than metal, it’s not easy to etch a solid zirconia crown. You may have to prep differently to provide maximum retention.

Its opacity nature due to the Zirconium oxide is its biggest downside zirconia has

3. Alloy

The metal used in dental alloys is divided into two; noble and base alloys. Noble metals are considered to be special alloys as they do not corrode and they include; gold, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, Iridium, and Osmium. Base metals are not so special as they corrode and they include; silver, titanium, nickel, copper, and zink. There has been a long history of alloys

There has been a long history of metal alloys used in the oral environment especially golf during ancient times. The metal alloys used in the oral environment there are different types of alloys used as dentures, the metal alloys are commonly used

Pros of Alloys

• Durability
• Aesthetic Feature
• Some Alloy dental material does not corrode such as gold
• It does not cause adverse tissue reaction
• It is Inert

Cons of Alloys

Biocompatibility – Metal alloys used in the mouth must be resistant to corrosion otherwise they may start to develop a metallic taste in the mouth which may be allergic. Alloys containing any allergic reaction should not be used on patients

Dental materials for alloys may not be economic friendly especially if you are using gold as the material

Corrosiveness-some dental alloys materials tend to be corrosive such as silver which may create a metallic-like smell in the mouth and cause an allergenic reaction

Not all alloys are suitable for all patients, its therefore important for patients to seek dental advice

4. PMMA

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is commonly used for prosthetic dental applications, including the fabrication of artificial teeth, denture bases, dentures, obturators, orthodontic retainers, temporary or provisional crowns, and for the repair of dental prostheses.

Pros of PMMA

• It has good optical clarity, abrasion, and UV resistance
• Cons of PMMA
• It tends to wear and tear quickly
• It has poor impact resistance to solvent, low temperature, and fatigue

5. PEEK

CAD-CAM technology led to the introduction of an increasing number of machinable materials suitable for dental prostheses. One of these materials is polyetheretherketone (PEEK), a high-performance polymer recently used in dentistry with favorable physical, mechanical and chemical properties

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a linear, aromatic, semi-crystalline thermoplastic, high-performance polymer recently used in dentistry as a framework material for metal-free fixed dental prostheses, removable dental prostheses, implant-supported fixed prostheses, implant-retained overdentures

Pros of PEEK

PEEK is a material with no allergic reaction in patients

It is known for its good mechanical properties, high-temperature resistance, chemical stability, polishability, good wear resistance, low plaque affinity, and high bond strength with veneering composites and luting cement.

Cons of Peek

PEEK frameworks have a grayish-brown or pearl-white opaque color and need to be veneered with a composite resin.

Conclusion

Most Materials used for dentures require proper care and a visit to the dentist once in a while. By Practicing proper care the lifetime of the denture can be extended. Missing teeth do not have to affect a person’s self-esteem or overall health. Advanced techniques in tooth replacement allow a dentist to create a plate that matches each individual. With proper oral care and upkeep, dentures can give a person back their smile.

The articulator is offering greater benefits in clinical use, and you will find different types of articulators that vary depending on the type of restoration and personal preference. The dental articulator is the key to providing proper occlusion to the restoration and function throughout the full range of mandibular movements.

The dental articulator is nothing but the mechanical device that represents the temporomandibular joint, and proper jaw members which are attached to the maxillary and mandibular casts.

So, let’s find out the different types of articulators and know some of the recommended products.

What is a dental articulator?

The dental articulators are nothing but they are a kind of mechanical instrument, and it is mainly used to recreate the relationship of the temporomandibular joints with the jaws. Also, the articulator will stimulate the patient’s mandibular movements and helps to achieve both static and dynamic relationship.

 In short, the articular is considered the instrument that will reproduce the range of movement of the jaws. Mostly, the mandibular and maxillary cast will be attached to the articulator so that the functional and para-functional relationship between the teeth can be studied clearly.

You will find different types of articulators, and here are some of the most common types.

Types of articulators:

Depending on the spatial movements and trajectory they perform the articulators are of different types. Each articulator will help to achieve the greater complexity of treatments.  

• Hinge articulator

The hinge articular is also known as a non-adjustable articulator, and they are not considered articulators, but they can be supportive instrument. The main role of the hinge articulator is to reproduce the static relationship with the model which is mounted. The main advantage of such a hinge articulator is that it is small, and allows easy and quick organization of the models.

The hinge articulator comes in two different classes which are Class Ⅰ and Class Ⅱ;

For Class Ⅰ;

1. Simplicity of use
2. Easy to fix
3. Available for both partial or complete models

For Class Ⅱ;

1. Hinge type and round base
2. Easy assembly even for the upper jaw
3. Chrome-plated color
4. In the upper jaw, there will screw adjustment

• Semi-adjustable articulator

The semi-adjustable articulator is the most common articulator in the dental clinic, and it is the main responsibility to allow the majority of the treatments to carry out. They are especially suitable for dentistry studies and training.

They can be used for all types of mandibular movement, and they will stimulate the condylar trajectories. It allows reproduce the patient’s maxillary and mandibular relationship with the condyles fully.  

• Fully-adjustable articulator

The fully-adjustable articulator will allow the independent adjustment of each condyle, and it will duplicate the trajectory. This articulator will be able to record the exact axis rotation, and measure the lateral and protrusive movements.

Difference between a semi-adjustable articulator and a fully-adjustable articulator:

• The fully-adjustable articulator will have an intercondylar distance of 110mm, and the semi-adjustable articulator is smaller than that so it can’t reach the dimension of the human skull
• The fully-adjustable articulator tends to have anatomical settings as they are fixed in upper and lower members, but the semi-adjustable articulator looks  fancy and they won’t function properly
• The semi-adjustable articulator lacks the ability to change intercondylar distance but the fully-adjustable articulator is not

Applications of fully-adjustable articulator:

• The fully-adjustable articulator will allow the replication of 3D movement of the mandibular motions
• It will accept facebow records, interocclusal records, protrusive records, and lateral records
• It is mainly utilized for more complex types of face-bow and lateral records
• It is mainly designed to reproduce the entire character including border movements, immediate and progressive lateral translation, curvature, and direction of condylar inclination     

Recommended products from Specialty Dental Studio:

• Semi-adjustable articulator

The semi-adjustable articulator is very useful for static and dynamic maxilla-mandibular positions. As it comes with high-precision and multiple adjustments it will achieve excellent reproduction in all the movements. The sturdy construction frame offers exceptional stability and it provides outstanding visibility. This articulator is compatible with the Amann Girrbach Artex Design, and along with the articulator, you will find disposable mounting plates, magnetic baseplates, and splitex key accessories.     

Each semi-adjustable articulator comes with a 3D calibrator, and the restoration model can be transferred from one to another with complete accurate calibration. It offers features such as;

1. Offer higher accuracy
2. Comes with multiple settings
3. Offers robust structure and greater stability
4. Exceptional visibility

• Hinge articulator

The hinge articulators are also called hinged dental occluders, and they are considered support instruments. It helps to develop a static relationship with the model which is mounted. But you will observe the static interdental relationship only in the occlusal closure. The main use of this product is using them for arbitrary methods, placing, and fixing models.

The main advantage of this articulator is that it is a small device, so both the cost and assembly time are reduced.

• Fully-adjustable articulator

As the name suggests, the fully-adjustable articulator will understand all the movements of the patient, and the centric and reproducible system of this articulator will guarantee the exact initial and final position of the movement. This articulator is light, stable, and comes with an ergonomic design, and high precision.

1. Progressive protrusion adjustable from 0mm to 6mm
2. Adjustable progressive retrusion is from 0mm to 2mm
3. This is mainly used for analysis, fabrication, and correction of splints

• Facebow transfer 

The facebow transfer is mainly used to transfer the model of axial which is in the cranial relation to the articulator. The articulator has been proven clinically and scientifically, and it is known for being the fastest and most manageable facebow. It gets compatible with the Artex dental system.

Some of the benefits of this facebow articulator are as follows;

1. Offers fast and safest 3D articulation support
2. As it has elastic support, so it will make the reliable transfer of the arbitrary shaft position
3. It will automatically correct the fixation of the skull axis in minutes

Most recently, one of the materials that have been used a lot in dental implants, which are zirconia block. The zirconia blocks are introduced as an alternative option for metal-ceramic dental restoration. When compared to the traditional methods, the zirconia restorations have better esthetic due to their excellent optical properties.

But when compared to the traditional zirconia block, the multilayered block has various advantages. So, let’s see the huge difference between traditional and multilayered zirconia blocks.  

What is multilayered zirconia?

In the traditional zirconia block, the manufacturing process consists of an additional step where you need to lay the colors step by step. So, it will get the original beauty effect, but if you take the multilayered zirconia, you don’t have to do the above-mentioned additional process. As it consists of 6 layers and vita shade of 16 colors are available, so it will give an aesthetic effect.

Not only the color, but also the multilayered zirconia block comes with a lot of other benefits than traditional zirconia. Some main advantages are its durability, high biocompatibility, high strength mechanical properties, and it will give a permanent result with its optimal aesthetic property.

Other than this, the multilayered zirconia block will have a natural transition, higher transparency, and a top aesthetic restorative effect. This makes many doctors choose multilayered zirconia, and even they are recommending it for many patients because of its excellent results.

Here are the features of the multilayered zirconia block which will let you know how advanced it is when compared to the traditional zirconia block;

• Comes with an excellent quality
• Higher strength
• Higher translucency
• Have superior mechanical properties
• It has six layers of color natural transition
• It gives a fluent line top aesthetic effect
• Compatible with open CAD/CAM system
• It has good aging resistance and biocompatibility

Difference between monolithic and layered zirconia:

Both monolithic and layered zirconia comes with a primary goal of offering minimum damage and maximum longevity. But still, it comes with major differences such as;

• As the layered zirconia is stacked over the core of the restoration, it offers a flexural strength of 600 to 1200Mpa. While the monolithic restoration will offer higher flexural strength of  900 to 1400Mpa.
• The layered zirconia is mostly placed in the posterior zone or in the anterior zone for a short span of time or posterior bridges. The monolithic will match the natural dentin and enamel, which is considered the biggest advantage
• The polished unglazed monolithic resulted in less teeth wear when compared to the layered zirconia

How strong are zirconia bridges?

Even though ceramic materials have been widely used in the dental industry, they still lack the strength and durability which is required for posterior restorations. That is when zirconia was introduced in the dental industry, and it was the solution to various problems as it comes with excellent strength and aesthetics.

Zirconia is strong enough and also compatible well with the tissues. Even the zirconia block is considered the best option for people who have metal allergies. In that list, Zirconia Bridge is considered to be the strongest material, comes with great biocompatible, and also offers highly aesthetic choice.

This type of solid zirconia bridge is made from pure zirconia, so it offers a flexural strength of 1200Mpa. It is an extremely strong material, and it is the best suitable for patients who are having bruxism. This material for sure will increase customer satisfaction.

Recommended zirconia block products:

• High strength 1200Mpa zirconia block

The high-strength multilayer zirconia block is the latest generation of the dental multilayer zirconia block, and it is specially developed using the multi-layer concept. The best part of this block is that it will match the natural shade gradient in the teeth. Here, the zirconia base is coated with porcelain to get the natural restoration look.

This is made by milling the porcelain which is fused with a zirconia crown, and then it is developed using computer-aided design or computer-aided manufacturing technology. Here are the features of the high-strength 1200Mpa zirconia block;

1. The six-layer transitional gradient color gives seamless look from the enamel layer to the body dentin layer
2. It offers great aesthetic translucency of 49% at incisal and 40% at cervical
3. It offers bending strength of 600Mpa at incisal and 1200Mpa at the cervical region
4. Comes with vita 16 plus blench shade such as BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4

This type of zirconia block can be used to make bridges, crowns, implants, and veneers, and is most recommended for the posterior crown as it has a high bending strength of 1200Mpa.

• Anterior multi-layer zirconia block

The anterior multi-layer zirconia block is an Ultra Transmittance Multi-Layer (UT ML) block. It is processed by CAD/CAM dental block multilayer zirconium oxide and with a natural color gradient. This block consists of six layers of zirconia in nature transition shades, so it will allow the fabrication of prosthesis-colored restoration.

It will save a lot of time, and let’s check the features of this anterior zirconia block;

1. Comes with super translucency of 49% which is from incisal to the cervical region
2. Offers high flexural strength of 700Mpa
3. Six layers of natural color gradient transition come seamlessly
4. Offers vita 16 plus blench shade such as BL1, BL2, BL3, BL4

It is mainly used in the fabrication of highly aesthetic restoration for crown and bridge restoration in the anterior region and is also most suitable for the veneer.

• White (monolithic) zirconia block

This is an original zirconia block, and it comes with a non-shaded variation, which can be used as a base to achieve a range of hues. This is a versatile product as it works with the most well-known brands of staining liquids.

1. It has a super translucency of 43%
2. Offers a strength of >1000Mpa
3. The disc height ranges from 10 mm to 25 mm
4. Compatible with CAD/CAM

It is mainly used to manufacture customized crowns and bridges, implant veneers, and others, especially in the fixed zirconium prosthesis.

If you are interested to get all ideas of zirconia blocks, click here https://www.specialtydentalstudio.com/product-category/zirconia-disc/