This study compares the mechanical properties and wear ability of five CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) millable dental blocks. All the discs, including Amber Mill Hybrid, Vita Enamic, Katana Avencia, Lava Ultimate, and Amber Mill, were cut in dimensions of 1.2 mm in thickness and 12 mm in diameter, polished to a machined surface, and immersed in distilled water for seven days. Vickers hardness was measured and the indentations were observed using microscope. The discs were brushed under a 150 g load. Mean surface roughness (Ra) and topography were determined after 100,000 cycles. Finally the biaxial flexure strength of the discs was measured and the broken surfaces were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The data was subjected to Weibull analysis. All data were analyzed by one-way analysis (ANOVA). The results of Vickers hardness are shown as: Amber Mill > Vita Enamic > Amber Mill Hybrid > Lava Ultimate > Katana Avencia. Katana Avencia showed the highest volume percentage reduction and the roughest surface after toothbrushing. The biaxial flexural strength is shown as: Amber Mill > Katana Avencia > Lava Ultimate > Amber Mill Hybrid > Vita Enamic. All the tested materials exhibited varying degrees of mass loss and surface roughness. The properties of the composite materials are related to the filler content, filler volume, and polymerization methods.

TiO₂ nanotubes (TNT) formation is beneficial for improving bone cell–material interaction and drug delivery for Ti dental implants. Among the natural drugs to be installed in TNT, selected propolis has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It is a resinous natural product which is collected by the honeybees from the various types of plants with their salivary enzymes. This study concludes that TNT loaded with a propolis (PL-TNT-Ti) dental implant has the ability to improve osseointegration. The propolis particles were embedded within the TNT or adhered to the top. In a cytotoxicity test using osteoblast, PL-TNT-Ti group exhibited an increased cell proliferation and differentiation. A Sprague Dawley rat mandibular model was used to evaluate the osseointegration and bone bonding of TNT or PL-TNT-Ti. From the µ-CT and hematoxylin and eosin (HE) histological results after implantation at 1 and 4 weeks to rat mandibular, an increase in the extent of new bone formation and mineral density around the PL-TNT-Ti implant was confirmed. The Masson’s trichrome staining showed the expression of well-formed collagenous for bone formation on the PL-TNT-Ti. Immunohistochemistry staining indicate that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP-2 and BMP-7) around the PL-TNT-Ti increased the expression of collagen fibers and of osteogenic differentiation whereas the expression of inflammatory cytokine such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is decreased.

The biodegradable ability of magnesium alloys is an attractive feature for tracheal stents since they can be absorbed by the body through gradual degradation after healing of the airway structure, which can reduce the risk of inflammation caused by long-term implantation and prevent the repetitive surgery for removal of existing stent. In this study, the effects of bicarbonate ion (HCO₃⁻) and mucin in Gamble’s solution on the corrosion behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy were investigated, using immersion and electrochemical tests to systematically identify the biodegradation kinetics of magnesium alloy under in vitro environment, mimicking the epithelial mucus surfaces in a trachea for development of biodegradable airway stents. Analysis of corrosion products after immersion test was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to identify the effects of bicarbonate ions and mucin on the corrosion behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloys with the temporal change of corrosion resistance. The results show that the increase of the bicarbonate ions in Gamble’s solution accelerates the dissolution of AZ31 magnesium alloy, while the addition of mucin retards the corrosion. The experimental data in this work is intended to be used as foundational knowledge to predict the corrosion behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy in the airway environment while providing degradation information for future in vivo studies.

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of a lithium-disilicate spray-liner application on both the bond strength between zirconia cores and heat-pressed lithium-disilicate glass-ceramic veneers, and the fracture strength of all-ceramic zirconia crowns. A lithium-disilicate reinforced liner was applied on the surface of a zirconia core and lithium-disilicate glass-ceramic was veneered on zirconia through heat press forming. Microtensile and crown fracture tests were conducted in order to evaluate, respectively, the bonding strength between the zirconia cores and heat pressed lithium-disilicate glass-ceramic veneers, and the fracture strength of bilayered zirconia all-ceramic crowns. The role of lithium-disilicate spray-liner at the interface between zirconia and lithium-disilicate glass-ceramic veneers was investigated through surface and cross-sectional analyses. We confirmed that both the mean bonding strength between the zirconia ceramics and lithium-disilicate glass-ceramic veneers and the fracture strength of the liner-treated groups were significantly higher than those of the untreated groups, which resulted, on the one hand, from the chemical bonding at the interface of the zirconia and lithium-disilicate liner, and, on the other, from the existence of a microgap in the group not treated with liner.