The ball mill as a means of investigating the mechanical failure of dental materials

• Main Authors: Abu Kasim, N.H., Millett, D.T., McCabe, J.F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English
• Published: Elsevier 1996
• Subjects: RK Dentistry
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/2479/2/The_Ball_Mill_as_a_Means_of_Investigating_The_Mechanical_Failure_of_Dental_Materials_original.pdf; http://eprints.um.edu.my/2479/7/The_Ball_Mill_as_a_Means_of_Investigating_The_Mechanical_Failure_of_Dental_Materials2.pdf; http://eprints.um.edu.my/2479/; http://apps.webofknowledge.com/full_record.do?product=WOS&search_mode=MarkedList&qid=23&SID=W1CG47L3EiGEbED5oDA&page=1&doc=3&colName=WOS
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

Objective: The main purpose of this paper is to present a new method of predicting clinical performance using mechanical loading in a ball mill. Methods: A series of four experiments (two involving a hybrid composite and one each on orthodontic brackets and bands) is described in which the ball mill was used to subject specimens to mechanical fatigue. Results: A reproducibility study using composite beam specimens showed no significant difference between the Mean Survival Time (MST) in all the three experimental runs (P = 0.42). When subjected to thermal cycling, the MST of the cycled group was 155.0 min compared to 247.0 min fur the control group (P < 0.01). The MST of untreated and sandblasted brackets was 7.9 h and 14 h respectively (P < 0.01). There is also a significant difference (P < 0.001) in the MST of sandblasted bands when compared to the untreated bands. Conclusions: The ball mill proved to be a convenient and reproducible means of producing mechanical fatigue and may be useful in predicting the clinical performance of dental materials.