Dental Ceramics/Bioactive Glass Composites: Characterization and Mechanical Properties Investigation

Abstract

Apart from a good bioactive behavior, composite materials for dental applications should attain high mechani- cal properties. Thus, the aim of this work was the fabrication and characterization of novel sol-gel derived dental ceram- ics/bioactive glass composites and the investigation of their mechanical properties such as flexural strength and Weibull modulus. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Surface Scanning X-ray Diffractometry (XRD) revealed the crystallization of leucite. Flexural strength values were in the range of 5-50MPa and it was followed a linear rela- tionship between the amount of dental porcelain in the com- posites and the strength of the materials. In conclusion, den- tal ceramics/bioactive glass composites exhibit mechanical integrity and can be potentially used in restorative dentistry.