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The suitability of dental investment materials as dies for superplastic forming of medical and dental prostheses
Author(s) -
Curtis R.V.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
materialwissenschaft und werkstofftechnik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.285
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1521-4052
pISSN - 0933-5137
DOI - 10.1002/mawe.200800298
Subject(s) - superplasticity , materials science , dental laboratory , casting , titanium alloy , dentistry , metallurgy , medicine , alloy
Dental investment materials have long been used in the manufacture of a whole variety of customised prostheses for dental restorative procedures. The metal castings produced often have very complex shapes and unless certain protocols are followed the range of casting errors can be great. Fortunately, the dental profession has a long experience with the Lost Wax Casting procedure and such problems are rare. More recently, the investment materials commonly used to manufacture the casting moulds have been applied to the manufacture of dies for the production of dental and maxillofacial prostheses in titanium materials, such as Ti‐6Al‐4V and SP700 alloys. A range of studies has been conducted to assess the suitability of a variety of investment material types, all of which are available commercially. This paper will focus upon the physical properties of dental investment materials that are used to manufacture dies for the superplastic forming of dental and maxillofacial prostheses. In addition to the consideration of the physical properties of the die materials, other relevant issues include the die – titanium sheet interactions and post‐forming titanium sheet properties such as contamination and biocompatibility. Such issues will be discussed in relation to regulatory issues concerning the use of biomaterials for the restoration of bodily function.