Sintering of dental ceramic/sol–gel-derived bioactive glass mixtures for dental applications: the study of microstructural, biological, and thermal properties

Although dental ceramic restorations are biocompatible, they are not necessarily bioactive. They can be modified by bioactive glasses to exhibit bioactive behavior well adapted to the surrounded tissue. Such modification can be done using mixtures of dental ceramic/sol–gel-derived bioactive glass expected to prolong the life time of the fixed dental prosthesis by preventing the formation of secondary caries. In the current study, these mixtures with different compositions were sintered in the laboratory in order to simulate the oral condition in which the restoration is used. Biological behavior was evaluated by immersion of the specimens in simulated body fluid. The microstructural and thermal properties of the sintered specimens were studied using X-ray diffractometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy and dilatometry. One of the mixtures was used as a layering material on the dental ceramic, and its attachment to the substrate, fracture surface, micro-hardness, and bioactivity behavior was evaluated. Sintering enhanced the crystallinity of the mixtures and they exhibited a good bioactive behavior. In addition, applying one of the mixtures as coating on ceramic substrate was a successful process in which the product revealed acceptable properties.