Dental Restorations

Study Notes

Desired Properties of Dental Restorations

Durability: Restorations should withstand the forces of chewing and biting over time.
Biocompatibility: Materials should not cause adverse reactions or irritation to the surrounding tissues.
Esthetics: Restorations should match the color and translucency of natural teeth.
Bond Strength: Strong adhesion to tooth structure prevents microleakage and secondary decay.
Ease of Manipulation: Materials should be easy to mold and shape.
Dimensional Stability: Restorations should maintain their original shape and size over time.
Ease of Polishing: Materials should polish to a smooth surface to prevent plaque accumulation.

Failure of Dental Materials

Microleakage: Gaps between the restoration and tooth structure can allow bacteria and fluids to enter, leading to decay.
Fatigue Failure: Repeated stress from chewing can cause materials to weaken and fracture over time.
Corrosion: Metallic restorations can corrode in the oral environment, affecting their strength and appearance.
Wear: The surface of restorations can wear down over time, affecting their function and esthetics.
Bond Failure: The bond between the restoration and tooth structure can weaken, leading to gaps and leakage.
Inadequate Preparation: Improper tooth preparation can lead to weak restorations and premature failure.
Improper Placement: Incorrect placement of the restoration can lead to misaligned bite and premature wear.

Rheology

Rheology is the study of the flow and deformation of matter, specifically non-Newtonian materials, and how they respond to applied forces.

Critical Stress and Loading Conditions

Critical stress is the maximum stress a material can withstand before failure.
Loading conditions refer to the type of stress applied to the material (e.g., tensile, compressive, shear).
The magnitude of the critical stress depends on the type of loading conditions and the material's properties.
Higher critical stress values under certain loading conditions indicate higher strength and resilience.

Replacement of Failed Restorations

Replacement of failed restorations constitutes a significant portion of dental operative procedures.
This is primarily due to the complex and demanding environment of the oral cavity, which can lead to wear, corrosion, and failure of materials.

Problems Associated with Dental Restorations

Microleakage and secondary decay: Gaps between the restoration and tooth allow bacteria and fluids to enter, leading to decay.
Wear: Restoration surfaces can wear down, affecting their functionality and esthetics.
Corrosion: Metallic restorations can corrode in the oral environment, affecting their strength and appearance.
Bond failure: The bond between the restoration and tooth structure can weaken, leading to gaps and leakage.
Biocompatibility issues: Materials can cause irritation or allergic reactions in the mouth.
Cost: Dental restorations can be expensive, especially for complex cases.

Description

Test your knowledge on dental restorations and their problems and desired properties. Learn about the limited lifespan of restorations, the challenges of replacing failed restorations, and the importance of restoring occlusion, aesthetics, and preventing cavities.