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Dental silicate ceramics surface modification by nonthermal plasma: A systematic review
Luka Birk1, Ksenija Rener-Sitar2, Metka Benčina3
1Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Summary
Nonthermal atmospheric plasma (NTP) shows potential for treating dental ceramics, improving surface properties. However, hydrofluoric acid etching still yields superior bond strength and longevity in dental cementation.
Area of Science:
- Dental Materials Science
- Surface Engineering
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching is a standard but hazardous method for preparing silica-based dental ceramics for cementation.
- Nonthermal atmospheric or low-pressure plasma (NTP) offers a potentially safer alternative for surface modification without altering bulk properties.
Approach:
- A systematic review of 13 in vitro studies (2008-2023) evaluated NTP's effectiveness for etchable, silica-based dental ceramics.
- Methodological quality was assessed using an adapted MINORS scale, identifying common biases.
Key Points:
- NTP (using Argon, Helium, Oxygen, or air) can enhance ceramic wettability and roughness through cleaning, etching, and activation.
- Most NTP protocols resulted in lower bond strengths compared to HF etching.
- Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with hexamethyldisiloxane and oxygen plasma activation showed promising results, comparable to controls.
Conclusions:
- NTP can improve surface characteristics of dental ceramics in vitro, but HF etching remains superior for bond strength and longevity.
- Further preclinical research is crucial to optimize NTP settings and evaluate long-term performance.
Keywords:
Adhesive cementationDental silicate ceramicsNonthermal plasmaPlasma surface modificationSurface properties
