Titanium and titanium alloys are one of the main metallic materials in the medical and dental fields because of their biocompatibility. In this review, the application of titanium and its alloys as the substitute materials for Ag-Pd-Au alloy in the casting of fixed dental prostheses was examined. A reference search was performed through PubMed based on the keywords titanium, titanium alloy, and dental casting. Other relevant references were obtained from the citation in the articles. The dental casting technology for titanium has already been developed for clinical use, which enables the use of appropriate casting machines and investment materials for titanium and its alloys available commercially. The mechanical properties, castability, and corrosion resistance of titanium and titanium alloys were reported to be comparable or superior to the conventional dental alloys. Clinical researches reported that titanium and Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy casings showed suitable quality for clinical application. Titanium and its alloys can be the substitute materials for Ag-Pd-Au alloy, and should be considered worthy of qualifying for the dental insurance coverage.
The resin-coating technique is one of the successful bonding techniques used for the indirect restorations. The dentin surfaces exposed after cavity preparation are coated with a thin film of a coating material or a dentin bonding system combined with a flowable composite resin. Resin coating can minimize pulp irritation and improve the bond strength between a resin cement and tooth structures. The technique can also be applied to endodontically treated teeth, resulting in prevention of coronal leakage of the restorations. Application of a resin coating to root surface provides the additional benefit of preventing root caries in elderly patients. Therefore, the coating materials have the potential to reinforce sound tooth ("Super Tooth" formation), leading to preservation of maximum tooth structures.