Clinical study: Modern all-ceramic tooth replacement has high load-bearing capacity
Clinical study of the load-bearing capacity of modern ceramic dental bridges conferred with the Dentaprime Dental Medicine Research Award.
Varna, 5 August 2008 – If they need tooth replacements, patients demand aesthetic and well-tolerated materials with a high load-bearing capacity. Modern zirconium dioxide (hereafter called “zirconia”) ceramics meet these demands and show a long durability in the heavily loaded posterior area. This is revealed in a study by dental specialist Dr. Philipp Kohorst from Hannover (Germany). Today, in Varna (Bulgaria), he was presented with the Dentaprime Dental Medicine Research Award for this study. Dentaprime confers the annual prize, which endows 5.000 Euro, for outstanding research work in the areas of implantology and aesthetic dentistry.
Ever since completing his study of dental medicine in 2005, Dr. Kohorst explores things like the performance and the load-bearing capacity of zirconia. He does so at the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomedical Materials at the University of Hannover. Because of its excellent mechanical features, this ceramic is the centre of attention for quite some time now. It enables both highly aesthetic and biocompatible tooth replacement. Up to now, however, there were no available studies that proved the adaptability of large zirconia bridge constructions in the heavily loaded area of the posterior teeth. Nor were there scientific comparisons between various zirconia ceramics in which specific account was taken of possible mechanical pre-existing defects of the bridge framework.
Study under realistic conditions
In the award-winning study, Dr. Kohorst and his research team explored in depth the question whether various processed zirconia ceramics are suitable for the manufacture of highly loaded dental bridge constructions, taking into account the corrosive conditions of the oral cavity. Based on a fictive case study, every time a total of twenty four-unit dental bridges were manufactured out of two different zirconia ceramics. In addition, every time, a pre-existing defect was brought onto ten bridges per material. In the context of the study, the realistic bearing load of the bridge was simulated as precise as possible. "We have simulated a multi-annual wearing time with hydration as well as mechanical and thermal variation in stress", Dr. Kohorst explains. Subsequently the bridges were loaded to the break point and the characteristic fracture planes were analyzed.
The findings of the 18-month research work show that zirconia ceramics are suitable for the use in the mechanically heavily loaded posterior area. The type of zirconia ceramics that is used, however, has a significant effect on the load-bearing capacity. "On top of that we could prove that the incorporated pre-existing defects did not have any effect on the load-bearing. This is why zirconia has a much higher damage tolerance than conventional ceramics", the 28-year-old award-winner summarizes the most important findings.
Patients and research benefit
Hence, modern zirconia dioxide ceramics offer patients the choice for a highly aesthetic and biocompatible tooth replacement that has a high loading capacity as well as a long durability. For a more conclusive judgment, more long-term case studies are required. However, specialists already offer the award-winning study as a decision support in favour of full-ceramic dental bridges, - even in areas that –up to now- were reserved for porcelain fused to metal. The winner himself is also happy with the success of the study and the distinction with the Dentaprime Dental Medicine Research Award. "The prize is an affirmation of our research work", Dr. Kohorst said at the conferment in Bulgaria.
Contact:
DENTAPRIME Dental Clinic
Phone: 0800 781 96 37
Fax: +31 (0) 45 5691681
The Dentaprime dental clinic for implantology and aesthetic dentistry is located at the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and is considered to be one of the most modern clinics in Europe. It links high quality standards to clearly lower treatment costs. The dental implant systems come from the prestigious German manufacturer Bredent. The patients are cared for and treated by experienced and English speaking implantologists, dental technicians and medical assistants all of them fully-trained by Middle European standards. In 2008, the clinic received the TÜV Nord certification for its quality management system.
To support the dental medical research and the developments in the area of implantology and aesthetic dentistry, the clinic annually confers the Dentaprime Dental Medicince Research Award to a top-class research work. The trans-European prize endows 5.000 Euro prize money.
Additional information on the Dentaprime dental clinic and the Dentaprime Dental Medicine Research Award to be found on the Internet at www.dentaprime.co.uk.