[After titanium, peek ?]

Role of Polyetheretherketone in Prosthodontics: A Literature Review

Implant prostheses and other fixed and removable metal prostheses have led to an increase in demand for the development of new and efficient materials such as high-performance polymers polyetheretherketone (PEEK) over titanium and other metals because of their further complications in the human body. PEEK is a polymer that is nontoxic and has a modulus of elasticity that is comparable to that of human bone. PEEK implants provide benefits over metal implants, such as reducing the stress shielding effect, simple processing, and color resemblance to natural teeth. And it is a fantastic alternative to titanium for dental and orthopedic implants. The current review is undertaken to understand the properties of this PEEK material to weigh its benefits and drawbacks for potential use in dental implants and other prostheses.

Nd:YVO4 laser groove treatment can improve the shear bond strength between dental PEEK and adhesive resin cement with an adhesive system

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of various surface treatments on the shear bond strength between dental polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and adhesive resin cement. Two hundred and forty specimens were randomly classified into four groups: no treatment, sandblasted, sulfuric-acid-etched, and laser-grooved treatment. Each group was classified into two adhesive resin cement subgroups. Surface roughness, water contact angle, shear bond strength, and failure mode were measured; SEM and XPS results were obtained. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way or two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's honest significant difference test (α=0.05). Laser-grooved PEEK surface showed regular grooves and carbonization by thermal degradation; the surface roughness as well as water contact angle of were the highest in all groups. Shear bond strength values were significantly higher in the laser-groove-treated and sulfuric-acid-etched groups. Laser-groove-treated specimens showed cohesive failure. Laser-grooved treatment can improve shear bond strength between PEEK and adhesive resin cement.

Effects of laser modalities on shear bond strengths of composite superstructure to zirconia and PEEK infrastructures: an in vitro study

In the last decade, demand for metal-free esthetic restorations has grown considerably due to the development of materials to fulfill the need for an esthetic prosthesis. We examined the effects of erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG), neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG), and potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser applications on the shear bond strength (SBS) of nanohybrid composite superstructures to zirconia and PEEK infrastructures. Zirconia and PEEK specimens were prepared with CAD/CAM technology in accordance with ISO 11405 standards. The disc-shaped samples were randomly separated into four groups (n = 8) according to applied laser type: no treatment and Er:YAG, Nd:YAG, and KTP lasers. Nanohybrid composite resin was applied as a veneering material to each infrastructure. After surface treatment of infrastructures by the lasers, the SBS test was carried out to determine the bonding of infrastructures, which were also examined with a stereomicroscope. The SBS were significantly higher in the PEEK specimens treated with the studied lasers. Nd:YAG laser was the most effective method, followed by Er:YAG laser and KTP laser. The lowest SBS value was obtained in the no-treatment group. Stereomicroscopically, the studied lasers produced different irregularities on the infrastructures. PEEK as a framework provides meaningfully higher bonding strength to composite resins compared to zirconia. Nd:YAG, Er:YAG, and KTP, in descending order, are efficacious in increasing the attachment of studied structures.