[Effect of surface modification using laser on wear resistance of titanium]

Severe wear of cast commercial pure (CP) titanium teeth was observed in a clinical survey. This study evaluated the wear resistance of cast CP titanium and titanium alloy teeth after the surface was modified using laser technology.

Teeth patterns were duplicated from artificial first molars (Livdent FB30, GC, Japan). All teeth specimens were cast with CP Ti grade 3 (T-Alloy H, GC) and Ti-6Al-7Nb (T-Alloy Tough, GC). After the occlusal surface was blasted with Al(2)O(3), the occlusal contact points were modified using a laser (Neo laser L, Girrbach, Germany) at the following irradiation conditions (voltage: 260 V; pulse: 7 ms; focus: 1.5 mm). These parameters were determined by preliminary study. As a control, Type IV gold alloy (PGA-3, Ishifuku, Japan) was also cast conventionally. Both maxillary and mandibular teeth were worn using an in vitro two-body wear testing apparatus that simulated chewing function (60 strokes/min; grinding distance: 2 mm under flowing water). Wear resistance was assessed as volume loss (mm(3)) at 5 kgf (grinding force) after 50,000 strokes. The results (n=5) were analyzed by ANOVA/Scheffé's test (alpha=0.05).

The gold alloy showed the best wear resistance of all the metals tested. Of all the titanium specimens tested, the modified surface indicated significantly greater wear resistance than did conventional titanium teeth without surface modification (p<0.05).

Wear resistance was increased by modification of the surface using a laser. If severe wear of titanium teeth was observed clinically, little wear occurred when the occlusal facets were irradiated using a laser.