ABSTRACT
Despite the success in preventing oral diseases, the prevalence of tooth loss in the German population remains high and increases with age. Today, the advances in prosthetic dentistry allow necessary tooth replacement following preventive strategies-after considering benefits and risks. Modern treatment options improve the overall prognosis of the stomatognathic system and the quality of life of the affected patients significantly. Hereby, adverse iatrogenic effects can be minimized or even completely avoided by extending the traditional treatment spectrum, e.g., using adhesively fixed restorations and implant-supported restorations, and refraining from placing restorations that are unnecessary from the medical point of view. Generally, patients benefit greatly from prosthetic treatment and the achieved health gain is remarkably high. It encompasses not only the recovery of the impaired oral functions but also extends to the whole human organism, including nutrition, digestion, musculoskeletal system, as well as mental and social well-being.
Subject(s)
Dental Prosthesis , National Health Programs , Tooth Loss/prevention & control , Tooth Loss/surgery , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Dental Prosthesis/economics , Dental Prosthesis/psychology , Dental Restoration Failure/economics , Germany , Humans , Iatrogenic Disease , Mouth, Edentulous/economics , Mouth, Edentulous/prevention & control , Mouth, Edentulous/surgery , National Health Programs/economics , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Quality of Life/psychology , Tooth Loss/economics , Tooth Loss/psychologyABSTRACT
In recent years, titanium has become a material of major interest in prosthetic dentistry. Due to its chemical properties, titanium has to be processed differently from conventional alloys. In this paper, two different methods of welding were investigated. Specimens machined from pure titanium rods were fused either by laser welding or plasma welding. Hardness profiles and light microscopy images were taken in the region of the weld. The mechanical properties were tested by alternating bending fatigue tests up to 3 million cycles. Light microscopy images and hardness profiles showed a larger heat-affected zone after plasma welding compared to laser welding. No significant differences comparing fatigue strength could be found between the two methods of welding. However, extreme loads led to earlier fatigue in the plasma-welded specimens. SEM images of the laser-welded joints showed fractures in the welding zone, while the plasma-welded specimens fractured mostly beyond the heat-affected zone. From these results, it can be assumed that both methods are suitable for welding titanium. At the moment, laser welding is the more suitable technique in dentistry because of its lower thermal alteration of the workpieces.
