Development of Ion Exchangeable Glass-Ceramics for Dental Applications

Objectives: The aims of the study were to synthesise ion exchangeable glass-ceramics for dental applications.
Methods: Novel glasses based on multicomponent system containing sodium-calcium potassium-magnesium aluminosilicate were synthesized using melt-quench method. Experimental glass powders were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Glasses were then crystallized via heat-treating the glass at the optimum crystallisation temperatures found from the DSC; thereafter glass-ceramics materials were produced. The crystalline phase/s and microstructures of the glass-ceramics were analysed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. The mechanical properties of the glass-ceramics were evaluated using the biaxial flexural strength (B.F.S) ball-on-ring test. Wherein, surfaces of twenty sintered glass-ceramics discs were polished to 8 µ (±0.5 µ) to a thickness of 2 mm (±0.5 mm) and diameter after sintering around 14 mm (±0.5 mm) were tested before and after immersing in a molten potassium nitrate bath at 450^oC for 6 hours.
Results: B.F.S results on the newly developed translucent glass-ceramics containing fine crystalline structures (< 5 µm) showed strength of 126 MPa before ion exchange and 360 MPa after ion exchange.
Conclusions: The end translucent glass-ceramic synthesised herein can be developed and used as ion exchangeable glass-ceramics material for dental applications.