Dental Application

Question 1

Unique Aspects of DOC repair

Answer 1

• structure, function, AND aesthetics
• microbial environment
• replacements for multiple tissues rather than one (enamel, dentin, pulpal cavity with vasculature, etc)
• high and varying forces, fluctuating pH and temperature

Question 2

Dental Implant Design

Answer 2

• root-form endosseous (embedded in mandibular or maxillary jaw bones)
• two-stages:
  1) root/screw-type implant, designed to be osseointegrative, placed directly into the bone
  2) after healing, implant abutment and crown are assembled on top

Question 3

Importance of osseointegration

Answer 3

• endogenous periodontal ligament function is replaced by osseointegration
• necessary to hold tooth to the nearby cancellous bone
• implants composed of aluminum, TITANIUM alloys, carbons, and calcium-phosphate compounds succeed at this
• impeded by fibrous tissue formed when using steel, gold, platinum, and cobalt
• alumina, zirconia, titania, surface-oxidized metals show bone-to-implant contact (not bond)
• surface-roughening, nano structuring, texturing, and bioactive ceramic coatings

Question 4

Statistics on Dental Implants

Answer 4

• mandible root-form: 95% successful at 5 years, less than 85% at 15
• maxillary: 85-90% successful at 5 years, 80% at 15 years

Question 5

Factors when choosing dental implant components

Answer 5

• Implant Body (typically titanium)
• Abutment (shear stress)
• Both together (avoid galvanic corrosion)
• Implant crown (heavy forces from chewing)
• cortical vs. cancellous bone: different Young’s Moduli (Cortical - 20 GPa, Cancellous - 10 GPa)