Novel aesthetic dental restorative materials

Tooth decay or caries is still one of the most common diseases in developed countries affecting 60-90 % of schoolchildren and the vast majority of adults. The continuing use of mercury based 'silver' fillings to replace decayed tissue, although extremely cost effective, is controversial and there is a need for new, durable and aesthetically acceptable materials for dental restorations. Dental ceramics have been found to be the most biocompatible materials to date for dental restorations and are the most natural-appearing synthetic replacement material for missing tooth substance. Furthermore patient acceptance is high and particularly in the anterior regions of the mouth, clinical longevity is good.This proposal is aimed at producing mica based dental glass-ceramics, suitable for 'chairside' processing. We aim to apply kinetic neutron diffraction and small angle neutron scattering to look at the stages involved in the crystallisation of such materials in real time, which will enable us to undertake a comprehensive description of the factors which affect the final microstructure and properties of the restorative material. The use of these novel neutron based techniques will provide unique insights into the production of these materials and allow us to tailor compositions and heat treatments to meet clinical requirements.