Effect of Heat Treatment on Joint Properties of Laser-Welded Ag-Au-Cu-Pd and Co-Cr Alloys

Microscopic and Mechanical Characterization of Co-Cr Dental Alloys Joined by the TIG Welding Process

Due to their good mechanical and other properties, cobalt-chromium alloys (Co-Cr) are often used in prosthetic therapy. The metal structures of prosthetic works can be damaged and break, and depending on the extent of the damage, they can be re-joined. Tungsten inert gas welding (TIG) produces a high-quality weld with a composition very close to that of the base material. Therefore, in this work, six commercially available Co-Cr dental alloys were joined by TIG welding, and their mechanical properties were evaluated to determine the quality of the TIG process as a technology for joining metallic dental materials and the suitability of the Co-Cr alloys used for TIG welding. Microscopic observations were made for this purpose. Microhardness was measured using the Vickers method. The flexural strength was determined on a mechanical testing machine. The dynamic tests were carried out on a universal testing machine. The mechanical properties were determined for welded and non-welded specimens, and the results were statistically evaluated. The results show the correlation between the investigated mechanical properties and the process TIG. Indeed, characteristics of the welds have an effect on the measured properties. Considering all the results obtained, the TIG-welded I-BOND NF and Wisil M alloys showed the cleanest and most uniform weld and, accordingly, satisfactory mechanical properties, highlighting that they withstood the maximum number of cycles under dynamic load.

Miniature CoCr laser welds under cyclic shear: Fatigue evolution and crack growth

Miniature laser welds with the root depth in the range of 50-300 μm represent air-tight joints between the components in medical devices, such as those in implants, growth rods, stents and various prostheses. The current work focuses on the development of a fatigue test specimen and procedure to determine fatigue lives of shear-loaded laser welds. A cobalt-chromium (CoCr) alloy is used as a benchmark case. S-N graphs, damage process, and fracture surfaces are studied by applying x-ray analysis, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy both before and after the crack onset. A non-linear material model is fitted for the CoCr alloy to run finite element simulations of the damage and deformation. As a result, two tensile-loaded specimen designs are established and the performance is compared to that of a traditional torque-loaded specimen. The new generation specimens show less variation in the determined fatigue lives due to well-defined crack onset point and, therefore, precise weld seam load during the experiments. The fatigue damage concentrates to the welded material and the entire weld experiences fatigue prior to the final, fracture-governed failure phase. For the studied weld seams of hardened CoCr, a regression fatigue limit of 10.8-11.8 MPa, where the stress refers to the arithmetic average shear stress computed along the region dominated by shear loading, is determined.

Mechanical and interfacial characterization of laser welded Co-Cr alloy with different joint configurations

PURPOSE

The mechanical and interfacial characterization of laser welded Co-Cr alloy with two different joint designs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dumbbell cast specimens (n=30) were divided into 3 groups (R, I, K, n=10). Group R consisted of intact specimens, group I of specimens sectioned with a straight cut, and group K of specimens with a 45° bevel made at the one welding edge. The microstructure and the elemental distributions of alloy and welding regions were examined by an SEM/EDX analysis and then specimens were loaded in tension up to fracture. The tensile strength (TS) and elongation (ε) were determined and statistically compared among groups employing 1-way ANOVA, SNK multiple comparison test (α=.05) and Weibull analysis where Weibull modulus m and characteristic strength σ_ο were identified. Fractured surfaces were imaged by a SEM.

RESULTS

SEM/EDX analysis showed that cast alloy consists of two phases with differences in mean atomic number contrast, while no mean atomic number was identified for welded regions. EDX analysis revealed an increased Cr and Mo content at the alloy-joint interface. All mechanical properties of group I (TS, ε, m and σ_ο) were found inferior to R while group K showed intermediated values without significant differences to R and I, apart from elongation with group R. The fractured surfaces of all groups showed extensive dendritic pattern although with a finer structure in the case of welded groups.

CONCLUSION

The K shape joint configuration should be preferred over the I, as it demonstrates improved mechanical strength and survival probability.

A clinical evaluation of cobalt-chromium metal-ceramic fixed partial dentures and crowns: A three- to seven-year retrospective study

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

In severely compromised dentition, loading of long-span and cantilever metal-ceramic fixed partial dentures (FPDs) could result in framework deformation and porcelain fractures. The use of cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloys may be advantageous, but there is little information on the longevity of, and complications with, prostheses made with these alloys.

PURPOSE

The aim of this retrospective study was to report the survival and complication rates of Co-Cr metal-ceramic FPDs and crowns followed over a 3- to 7-year period.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included 42 patients with a total of 51 FPDs and 12 single crowns assigned to 1 of 3 groups. The 3 groups comprised patients with abutment teeth with a questionable prognosis (n=10), advanced chronic periodontitis (n=19), or abutment teeth with a positive prognosis (n=13). The FPDs had a mean of 9.7 units (range of 3-14). Of the FPDs, 32 were provided with a cantilever on 1 side (n=24) or both sides (n=8). The mean observation time was 51 months (range of 28-82). All patients were examined by 2 independent prosthodontists using the California Dental Association (CDA) assessment system for evaluation. One-way ANOVA with Fisher's LSD post hoc test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analyses (alpha=.05).

RESULTS

Seventeen (34%) of the FPDs had biological and/or technical complications. Six (12%) FPDs were completely or partially removed during the observation period, 1 framework fractured, and 9 (17.6%) FPDs had ceramic fractures. Fifteen of the 21 fractured FPD units were related to FPDs that were placed in 3 patients with bruxing habits. The CDA rating for marginal integrity was "excellent" for more than 98% of the abutments. No patients reported adverse reactions to the material.

CONCLUSIONS

Metal-ceramic FPDs made of cobalt-chromium alloy performed acceptably in the questionable prognosis and advanced chronic periodontitis groups.