Dental Alloys
Since the seventh century BC, man has attempted to replace lost teeth using ivory, wood or animal teeth bound with gold alloy bands.
Pure metals are never used, not even gold. Alloys have superior physical properties in dental applications.
High-gold alloys (75%+) containing silver and copper were first used in the early 1900s. Later acrylic facings were attached to the outer surfaces of the gold teeth to give a natural appearance. In 1962, Weinstein introduced fixed prosthetics of porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM), which fits and imparts resiliency, strength and life-like aesthetics.
Dental prosthetic devices were revolutionized in the early 1900s by the fabrication of dental inlays, crowns, and bridges.

Porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM, PFG) crown

There are 3 basic categories of dental crown alloys:
· High noble alloys (precious metal): 60% noble metal; 40% gold.

The ‘noble’ dental metals are platinum, gold and palladium. They are non-toxic, hypoallergenic and resist tarnish and corrosion.
· Noble alloys (semiprecious metal): 25% noble metal content.


· Base (non-precious metal): noble metal content is less than 25%.

Contain large percentages of nickel, cobalt, chromium or beryllium.
The metals most used in dental alloys are:
· Chromium (Cr)
· Copper (Cu)
· Cobalt (Co)
· Beryllium (Be)
· Gallium (Ga)
· Gold (Au)
· Indium (In)
· Iridium (Ir)
· Iron (Fe)
· Molybdenum (Mo)
· Manganese (Mn)
· Nickel (Ni)
· Niobium (Nb)
· Palladium (Pd)
· Platinum (Pt)
· Silver (Ag)
· Tantalum (Ta)
· Tin (Sn)
· Tungsten (W)
· Zinc (Zn)
Dental alloys have widespread use in dentistry. Major areas of usage are:
(1) restorative dentistry
(2) prosthodontics
(3) orthodontics
(4) endodontics
For all types of Dental alloys, contact Dentals.ca
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