Differences in Radiopacity, Surface Properties, and Plaque Accumulation for CAD/CAM-Fabricated vs Conventionally Processed Polymer-based Temporary Materials.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: As temporary materials are often used in prosthetic dentistry, there is need to investigate their behavior in the oral environment. Parameters such as surface roughness and surface free energy correlate to the level of plaque adhesion, which can impact gingival health.

Fracture Toughness Analysis of Ceramic and Resin Composite CAD/CAM Material.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare the fracture toughness of dental CAD/CAM materials of different material classes intended for in-office milling (glass ceramics, hybrid, resin composites) and the influence of aging on this property. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The fracture toughness (critical intensity factor, KIc) values of 9 CAD/CAM restorative materials (Ambarino High-Class, Brilliant Crios, Cerasmart, exp. CAD/CAM composite, Katana Avencia, Lava Ultimate, VITA Enamic, IPS Empress CAD, and IPS e.max CAD) were determined using the SEVNB method in a four-point bending setup. Twenty bending bars of each material with a 4 × 3 cross and a minimum length of 12 mm were cut out of CAD/CAM milling blocks. Notching was done starting with a pre-cut and consecutive polishing and v-shaping with a razor blade, resulting in a final depth of v-shaped notches of between 0.8 and 1.2 mm. Half of the specimens were selected for initial fracture toughness measurements. The others were thermocycled in distilled water for 30,000× (5/55°C; 30-second dwell time) before testing. Specimen fracture surfaces were analyzed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. RESULTS: All specimens for each material fractured into two fragments and showed the typical compression curl and brittle failure markings. Comparing initial KIc values, lithium disilicate ceramic IPS e.max CAD showed significantly the highest and leucite-reinforced ceramic IPS Empress CAD significantly the lowest KIc values (p<0.001). All tested CAD/CAM materials with a resin component ranged in the same KIc value group (p>0.999-0.060). After thermal cycling, the highest KIc values were measured for lithium disilicate ceramic IPS e.max CAD, followed by resin composite materials Ambarino High-Class (p<0.001-0.006) and hybrid material VITA Enamic (p<0.001-0.016), while the significantly lowest values were reflected for the resin composite materials Cerasmart, LAVA Ultimate (p<0.001-0.006), and Katana Avencia (p<0.001-0.009). The roughness of the fracture surfaces varied depending on the microstructure of the respective material. The ceramic surfaces showed the smoothest surfaces. The fracture surface of VITA Enamic revealed microstructural inhomogeneities and microcracks. For CAD/CAM resin composite materials, crack paths through the matrix and interfaces of matrix and fillers could be observed at the microstructure level. CONCLUSIONS: The materials tested show differences in fracture toughness typical for the class they belong to. With one exception (Ambarino High-Class), thermocycling affected the fracture toughness of materials with a resin component negatively, whereas the leucite and lithium disilicate ceramic showed stability.

Influence of plasma pretreatment on shear bond strength of self-adhesive resin cements to polyetheretherketone.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to evaluate the adhesion between PEEK and two self-adhesive resin cements after plasma treatment. METHODS: Eight hundred sixty-four polyetheretherketone (PEEK) disks were cut and polished to silicon carbide (SIC) P4000. One half of the specimens were randomly selected and pretreated with plasma, whereas the remaining 432 specimens remained untreated. Subsequently, specimens were randomly allocated to four groups (n = 108/group): Visio.link (Bredent), Signum PEEK Bond (Heraeus Kulzer), Ambarino P60 (Creamed), and a control group without additional treatment. Half of the specimens of each group (n = 54) were then cemented with either RelyX Unicem Automix 2 (3 M ESPE) or with Clearfil SA (Kuraray). All specimens were stored in water for 24 h (37 °C). Afterwards, specimens were divided into three groups (n = 18) for different aging levels: (1) no aging (baseline measurement), (2) thermal aging for 5,000 cycles (5/55 °C), and (3) thermal aging for 10,000 cycles (5/55 °C). Thereafter, shear bond strengths (SBS) were measured, and failure types (adhesive, mixed, and cohesive) were assessed. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, four- and one-way ANOVA followed by a post hoc Scheffé test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: No adhesion could be established without adhesive pretreatment, irrespectively, whether plasma was applied or not. Also, no bond strength was measured when Ambarino P60 was applied. In contrast, adhesive pretreatment resulted in SBS ranging between 8 and 15 MPa. No significant differences were found between the resin cements used. In general, no cohesive failures were observed. Groups without plasma treatment combined with Visio.link or Signum PEEK Bond showed predominantly mixed failure types. Control groups, plasma treated, or treated using Ambarino P60 groups fractured predominantly adhesively. CONCLUSION: The use of methyl methacrylate (MMA)-based adhesives allows bonding between PEEK and self-adhesive resin cements. Plasma treatment has no impact on bond to resin cements. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: PEEK reconstructions can be cemented using self-adhesive resin cements combined with pretreatment with MMA-based adhesives.

Ultrafast dynamics of charge density waves in 4H(b)-TaSe2 probed by femtosecond electron diffraction.

The dynamics of the photoinduced commensurate-to-incommensurate charge density wave (CDW) phase transition in 4H(b)-TaSe(2) are investigated by femtosecond electron diffraction. In the perturbative regime, the CDW re-forms on a 150-ps time scale, which is two orders of magnitude slower than in other transition-metal dichalcogenides. We attribute this to a weak coupling between the CDW carrying T layers and thus demonstrate the importance of three-dimensionality for the existence of CDWs. With increasing optical excitation, the phase transition is achieved, showing a second-order character, in contrast to the first-order behavior in thermal equilibrium.

Dimerization boosts one-dimensional mobility of conformationally adapted porphyrins on a hexagonal surface atomic lattice.

We employed temperature-controlled fast-scanning tunneling microscopy to monitor the diffusion of tetrapyridylporphyrin molecules on the Cu(111) surface. The data reveal unidirectional thermal migration of conformationally adapted monomers in the 300-360 K temperature range. Surprisingly equally oriented molecules spontaneously form dimers that feature a drastically increased one-dimensional diffusivity. The analysis of the bonding and mobility characteristics indicates that this boost is driven by a collective transport mechanism of a metallosupramolecular complex.