Dental Materials: Theory, Practice and Cases

Dental materials comprise natural tissues and biocompatible synthetic materials that are utilized for restoring damaged, decayed and fractured teeth. They can be categorized as preventive materials, auxiliary materials or restorative materials. The study of dental materials encompasses a wide variety of terms, properties, compositions and microstructures that are used to forecast or describe the functioning of restorative and preventive biomaterials. Natural tissues like bone, enamel, cementum and dentin, and biocompatible synthetic materials like composite structures, polymers, ceramics and metals are used in dental procedures. Furthermore, materials including ceramic, amalgam and resin can be used to create crowns, fillings and other tooth restorations. Each material is suitable for a variety of applications and circumstances, and has different advantages and disadvantages. Dental materials are utilized in a variety of treatments including the reconstruction of teeth, removal of plaque, aesthetic intervention, implants and the treatment of caries. This book is compiled in such a manner, that it will provide in-depth knowledge about dental materials. It will serve as a reference to a broad spectrum of readers.