Understanding nature's residual strain engineering at the human dentine-enamel junction interface

Synchrotron X-ray Studies of the Structural and Functional Hierarchies in Mineralised Human Dental Enamel: A State-of-the-Art Review

Hard dental tissues possess a complex hierarchical structure that is particularly evident in enamel, the most mineralised substance in the human body. Its complex and interlinked organisation at the Ångstrom (crystal lattice), nano-, micro-, and macro-scales is the result of evolutionary optimisation for mechanical and functional performance: hardness and stiffness, fracture toughness, thermal, and chemical resistance. Understanding the physical-chemical-structural relationships at each scale requires the application of appropriately sensitive and resolving probes. Synchrotron X-ray techniques offer the possibility to progress significantly beyond the capabilities of conventional laboratory instruments, i.e., X-ray diffractometers, and electron and atomic force microscopes. The last few decades have witnessed the accumulation of results obtained from X-ray scattering (diffraction), spectroscopy (including polarisation analysis), and imaging (including ptychography and tomography). The current article presents a multi-disciplinary review of nearly 40 years of discoveries and advancements, primarily pertaining to the study of enamel and its demineralisation (caries), but also linked to the investigations of other mineralised tissues such as dentine, bone, etc. The modelling approaches informed by these observations are also overviewed. The strategic aim of the present review was to identify and evaluate prospective avenues for analysing dental tissues and developing treatments and prophylaxis for improved dental health.

Applications of scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam milling in dental research

The abilities of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) milling for obtaining high-resolution images from top surfaces, cross-sectional surfaces, and even in three dimensions, are becoming increasingly important for imaging and analyzing tooth structures such as enamel and dentin. FIB was originally developed for material research in the semiconductor industry. However, use of SEM/FIB has been growing recently in dental research due to the versatility of dual platform instruments that can be used as a milling device to obtain low-artifact cross-sections of samples combined with high-resolution images. The advent of the SEM/FIB system and accessories may offer access to previously inaccessible length scales for characterizing tooth structures for dental research, opening exciting opportunities to address many central questions in dental research. New discoveries and fundamental breakthroughs in understanding are likely to follow. This review covers the applications, key findings, and future direction of SEM/FIB in dental research in morphology imaging, specimen preparation for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, and three-dimensional volume imaging using SEM/FIB tomography.

A novel pathway for multiscale high-resolution time-resolved residual stress evaluation of laser-welded Eurofer97

The plasma-facing components of future fusion reactors, where the Eurofer97 is the primary structural material, will be assembled by laser-welding techniques. The heterogeneous residual stress induced by welding can interact with the microstructure, resulting in a degradation of mechanical properties and a reduction in joint lifetime. Here, a Xe⁺ plasma focused ion beam with digital image correlation (PFIB-DIC) and nanoindentation is used to reveal the mechanistic connection between residual stress, microstructure, and microhardness. This study is the first to use the PFIB-DIC to evaluate the time-resolved multiscale residual stress at a length scale of tens of micrometers for laser-welded Eurofer97. A nonequilibrium microscale residual stress is observed, which contributes to the macroscale residual stress. The microhardness is similar for the fusion zone and heat-affected zone (HAZ), although the HAZ exhibits around ~30% tensile residual stress softening. The results provide insight into maintaining structural integrity for this critical engineering challenge.

Super high-quality SEM/FIB imaging of dentine structures without collagen fiber loss through a metal staining process

Scanning Electron Microscope/Focused Ion Beam (SEM/FIB) system has become valuable and popular tool for the analysis of biological materials such as dentine structures. According to physiological and anatomical studies, dentine structures are a complicated system containing collagen fibers, nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite, and numerous networks of tubular pores. During a routine FIB milling process, collagen fibers and other organic structures are vaporized, which increases the number of pores on the milled surface of the dentine. This causes the final cross-section to be more porous than the pristine sample. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the collagen fiber loss and how to preserve them during a FIB milling process. In this work, we present a novel and simple approach to preserve the organic portions of the dentine structure through metal staining. By using this method, the porosity of the dentine structure after the FIB milling process is significantly reduced similar to the pristine sample. This indicates that the organic portion of the dentine structure is well protected by the metal staining. This approach enables the SEM/FIB system to generate super-high quality SEM images with less ion beam damage; and the SEM images can better reflect the original condition of the dentine structure. Further, serial energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping of the stained dentine structure is achieved without an additional metal coating; and three-dimensional (3-D) elemental mapping of an occluded dentine is achieved with a significantly reduced data acquisition time.

Evaluation of the damping capacity of common CAD/CAM restorative materials

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate and quantify the damping capacities of common CAD/CAM restorative materials (CRMs) and to assess their energy dissipation abilities by comparing loss tangent and Leeb hardness data.

METHODS

Leeb hardness (HLD), together with its deduced energy dissipation data (HLD_dis), and loss tangent values recorded via dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) were determined for 4 ceramic, 13 composite, and 2 polymer-based CRMs as well as 1 metal. For Leeb hardness, ten indentations per material were performed on two separate specimens (12.0 × 12.0 × 3.5 mm³) after water storage (24 h; 37.0 ± 1.0 °C). For DMA, ten specimens (16.00 × 4.00 × 1.00 mm³ ± 0.05 mm) per material were investigated in distilled water (37.0 ± 0.5 °C) with a dynamic force of 1 N at 1.5 Hz. Each data set was analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with material type and material nested in material type as factors. Post-ANOVA contrasts were performed using a Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons (α = 0.05). Correlations between different parameters were tested (Pearson, α = 0.05).

RESULTS

HLD_dis data revealed the significantly highest damping capacity for metal and the lowest values for ceramics with composites and polymers in between. However, for loss tangent, the metal together with lithium disilicate glass-ceramics exhibited the lowest damping effects and polymer materials the highest results with composites likewise in between. A strong dependency of the loss tangent results on the filler content of the investigated CRMs was indicated (r = - 0.822, p < 0.001), while a positive and only moderate correlation between loss tangent and HLD_dis was observed (r = 0.565, p < 0.001), which conversely revealed a very strong correlation (r = 0.911, p < 0.001) if the metal was excluded from the calculation.

CONCLUSIONS

Although HLD_dis and loss tangent values both allowed a distinct differentiation of the damping capabilities of various CRMs and the respective material types, HLD_dis data appeared to more accurately describe the damping capacity of CRMs as the energy dissipation mechanism of permanent plastic material deformation, that is commonly observed for metals and some composite-based CRMs, is equally captured. This finding could be particularly interesting for the future development of new CRMs with improved mechanical properties as HLD_dis data determination in principle is a very efficient and simple technique to entirely specify unknown damping capacities of materials.

Digital image correlation in dental materials and related research: A review

OBJECTIVE

Digital image correlation (DIC) is a non-contact image processing technique for full-field strain measurement. Although DIC has been widely used in engineering and biomechanical fields, it is in the spotlight only recently in dental materials. Therefore, the purpose of this review paper is introducing the working principle of the DIC technique with some modifications and providing further potential applications in various dental materials and related fields.

METHODS

The accuracy of the algorithm depending on the environmental characteristics of the DIC technique, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of strain measurement using optical measurements, have been elaborated in dental materials and related fields. Applications to those researches have been classified into the following categories: shrinkage behavior of light-cured resin composite, resin-tooth interface, mechanical properties of tooth structure, crack extension and elastic properties of dental materials, and deformation of dental restoration and prosthesis. This classification and discussion were performed using literature survey and review based on numerous papers in the international journals published over the past 20 years. The future directions for predicting the precise deformation of dental materials under various environments, as well as limitations of the DIC technique, was presented in this review.

RESULTS

The DIC technique was demonstrated as a more effective tool to measure full-field polymerization shrinkage of composite resin, even in a simulated clinical condition over the existing methods. Moreover, the DIC combined with other technologies can be useful to evaluate the mechanical behavior of material-tooth interface, dentine structure and restorative and prosthetic materials with high accuracy. Three-dimensional DIC using two cameras extended the measurement range in-plane to out-of-plane, enabling measure of the strain directly on the surface of dental restorations or prosthesis.

SIGNIFICANCE

DIC technique is a potential tool for measuring and predicting the full-field deformation/strain of dental materials and actual prostheses in diverse clinical conditions. The versatility of DIC can replace the existing complex sensor devices in those studies.

Novel Approach to Tooth Chemistry: Quantification of Human Enamel Apatite in Context for New Biomaterials and Nanomaterials Development

A series of linear profiles of the elements of the enamel in human molar teeth were made with the use of an electron microprobe and a Raman microscope. It is postulated that the enamel can be treated as the superposition of variable "overbuilt" enamel on the stable "core" enamel at the macro-, micro- and nanoscale level. The excessive values characterize the "overbuilt enamel". All the profiles of excessive parameters along the enamel thickness from the enamel surface to the dentin enamel junction (DEJ) can be approximated very precisely with the use of exponential functions, where Ca, P, Cl and F spatial profiles are decaying while Mg, Na, K and CO32- ones are growing distributions. The "overbuilt" apatite formed on the boundary with DEJ, enriched in Na, Mg, OH and carbonates, reacts continuously with Ca, Cl and F, passing into an acid-resistant form of the "overbuilt" enamel. The apparent phases arriving in boundary regions of the "overbuilt enamel" were proposed. Microdiffraction measurements reveal relative variation of energy levels during enamel transformations. Our investigations are the milestones for a further new class of biomaterial and nanomaterial development for biomedical applications.

Ovine Bone Morphology and Deformation Analysis Using Synchrotron X-ray Imaging and Scattering

Bone is a natural hierarchical composite tissue incorporating hard mineral nano-crystals of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and organic binding material containing elastic collagen fibers. In the study, we investigated the structure and deformation of ovine bone by the combination of high-energy synchrotron X-ray tomographic imaging and scattering. X-ray experiments were performed prior to and under three-point bending loading by using a specially developed in situ load cell constructed from aluminium alloy frame, fast-drying epoxy resin for sample fixation, and a titanium bolt for contact loading. Firstly, multiple radiographic projection images were acquired and tomographic reconstruction was performed using SAVU software, following segmentation using Avizo. Secondly, Wide Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS) and Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) 2D scattering patterns were collected from HAp and collagen. Both sample shape and deformation affect the observed scattering. Novel combined tomographic and diffraction analysis presented below paves the way for advanced characterization of complex shape samples using the Dual Imaging and Diffraction (DIAD) paradigm.

Micromechanical imaging of dentin with Brillouin microscopy

The structure of teeth can be altered by diet, age or diseases such as caries and sclerosis. It is very important to characterize their mechanical properties to predict and understand tooth decay, design restorative dental procedures, and investigate their tribological behavior. However, existing imaging techniques are not well suited to investigating the micromechanics of teeth, in particular at tissue interfaces. Here, we describe a microscope based on Brillouin light scattering (BLS) developed to probe the spectrum of the light scattered from tooth tissues, from which the mechanical properties (sound velocity, viscosity) can be inferred with a priori knowledge of the refractive index. BLS is an inelastic process that uses the scattering of light by acoustic waves in the GHz range. Our microscope thus reveals the mechanical properties at the micrometer scale without contact with the sample. BLS signals show significant differences between sound tissues and pathological lesions, and can be used to precisely delineate carious dentin. We also show maps of the sagittal and transversal planes of sound tubular dentin that reveal its anisotropic microstructure at 1 µm resolution. Our observations indicate that the collagen-based matrix of dentine is the main load-bearing structure, which can be considered as a fiber-reinforced composite. In the vicinity of polymeric tooth-filling materials, we observed the infiltration of the adhesive complex into the opened tubules of sound dentine. The ability to probe the quality of this interfacial layer could lead to innovative designs of biomaterials used for dental restorations in contemporary adhesive dentistry, with possible direct repercussions on decision-making during clinical work. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Mechanical properties of teeth can be altered by diet, age or diseases. Yet existing imaging modalities cannot reveal the micromechanics of the tooth. Here we developed a new type of microscope that uses the scattering of a laser light by naturally-occurring acoustic waves to probe mechanical changes in tooth tissues at a sub-micrometer scale without contact to the sample. We observe significant mechanical differences between healthy tissues and pathological lesions. The contrast in mechanical properties also reveals the microstructure of the polymer-dentin interfaces. We believe that this new development of laser spectroscopy is very important because it should lead to innovative designs of biomaterials used for dental restoration, and allow delineating precisely destructed dentin for minimally-invasive strategies.

Investigations into the interface failure of yttria partially stabilised zirconia - porcelain dental prostheses through microscale residual stress and phase quantification

OBJECTIVES

Yttria Partially Stabilised Zirconia (YPSZ) is a high strength ceramic which has become widely used in porcelain veneered dental copings due to its exceptional toughness. Within these components the residual stress and crystallographic phase of YPSZ close to the interface are highly influential in the primary failure mode; near interface porcelain chipping. In order to improve present understanding of this behaviour, characterisation of these parameters is needed at an improved spatial resolution.

METHODS

In this study transmission micro-focus X-ray Diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and focused ion beam milling residual stress analysis techniques have, for the first time, been used to quantify and cross-validate the microscale spatial variation of phase and residual stress of YPSZ in a prosthesis cross-section.

RESULTS

The results of all techniques were found to be comparable and complementary. Monoclinic YPSZ was observed within the first 10μm of the YPSZ-porcelain interface with a maximum volume fraction of 60%. Tensile stresses were observed within the first 150 μm of the interface with a maximum value of ≈300 MPa at 50 μm from the interface. The remainder of the coping was in mild compression at ≈-30MPa, with shear stresses of a similar magnitude also being induced by the YPSZ phase transformation.

SIGNIFICANCE

The analysis indicates that the interaction between phase transformation, residual stress and porcelain creep at YPSZ-porcelain interface results in a localised porcelain fracture toughness reduction. This explains the increased propensity of failure at this location, and can be used as a basis for improving prosthesis design.

Effect of interface surface design on the fracture behavior of bilayered composites

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different interface designs on the load‐bearing capacity of bilayered composite structures (BLS). Cylindrical specimens of BLS were prepared from base composite of 3.5 mm thickness and surface composite of 1.5 mm thickness (n = 80). Two different base composites – flowable bulk‐fill (FBF) [smart dentin replacement (SDR)] and short fiber‐reinforced (FRC) (everX Posterior) – were evaluated, and conventional composite (G‐ænial Posterior) was used as the surface layer. Four different interface designs were used: (i) pyramidal; (ii) mesh; (iii) linear grooves; and (iv) flat surface (control). Three‐dimensional printed molds were fabricated to standardize the interface design between the surface and the base composites. The specimens were then statically loaded with a steel ball until fracture using a universal testing machine. Fracture types were classified into catastrophic, complete, and partial bulk. anova revealed that both the material and the interface design had a statistically significant effect on the load‐bearing capacity. Flowable bulk‐fill showed lower mean load‐bearing capacity than FRC in all the interface designs tested, except for the flat surface design. Fracture analysis showed that FRC demonstrated up to 100% partial bulk fractures with the pyramid interface design, but no incidence of catastrophic bulk fracture. By contrast, FBF demonstrated up to 84.6% and 40% catastrophic bulk fractures with the flat interface design but no incidence of partial bulk fracture. Consequently, the interface designs studied enhanced the fracture behavior of BLS.

A COMPUTATIONAL STRATEGY TO EXAMINE THE PROFILE EFFECTS OF MICROPRISM REGIONS ON THE OVERALL ANISOTROPY OF HUMAN ENAMELS

In this study, our attention is mainly on elaborating a computational strategy to effectively predict the influence of prism profiles on the overall anisotropic property of human enamels (HEs). At first, two distinct schemes are developed separately with the aid of the polynomial fitting technique and the general power functions to mathematically describe the practical irregular and simplified regular profiles of enamel prisms. Hereafter, two parametric piecewise formulas, which facilitate the definition of anisotropic material properties of finite elements at different locations and make the numerical simulation of HE microstructures consisting of irregularly shaped prisms feasible, are presented to describe the orientation of hydroxyapatite (HAP) crystallites embedded in microprisms. The effective anisotropic moduli over a representative unit cell (RUC) under the periodic displacement constraint is concisely introduced according to the micromechanics, and a computational strategy is established to calculate these moduli numerically. Finally, the evaluations in the open literature are employed to demonstrate the validity of the elaborated computational strategy, and more investigations are conducted and yield the conclusions such that the material property of the inter-prism regions as well as the prism shapes plays a crucial role in determining the overall anisotropy of HEs.

Impact of cusp inclinations on dental fractures in cracked tooth syndrome model and relevant risk evaluation

We explored the impact of cusp inclinations on dental fractures in cracked tooth syndrome model and formulated corresponding risk scale. Forty maxillary premolars were randomized into four groups for cusp inclination measurements by digital radiovisiography (RVG). For cracked tooth models, buccal and palatal cusp inclinations were achieved by grinding in groups I (59°-50°), II (64°-55°) and III (69°-60°), with group IV as blank control. All groups underwent compression loading test, with fracture levels recorded for statistical analysis. The fracture modes included a majority of crown root fractures and a minority of crown fractures in groups I and II, exclusive crown root fractures in group III, and exclusive crown fractures in group IV. Overall, palatal fractures were predominant versus buccal fractures, with exclusive palatal fractures in group IV, and oblique fractures were overwhelming versus the scanty vertical fractures. Fracture risk classification: grade III was prevalent in groups I and II, grade IV in group III, and grades I and II in group IV only. The fracture risk scores in groups III and IV had significant statistical differences versus groups I and II (P<0.05), with insignificant differences between groups I and II, respectively (P>0.05). Cracked teeth are more vulnerable to complex fractures, with increment of cusp inclinations contributable to complex fracture modes, involving deep roots and high risk scores.