Coatings on Glass-Ceramic Granules for Dental Restorative Biomaterials

Two methods for coating glass-ceramic granules have been tested: self-assembly in aqueous solutions and the fluidized-bed technique. Both methods have been successfully used to produce nanocoatings on leucite-fluoroapatite glass-ceramic granules. Two chemical substances were developed for the experiments: (a) a combination of inorganic and organic compounds, (b) organic compounds alone, preferably comb polymers. Both groups of materials positively influenced the sintering properties of the glass-ceramics, because they suppressed tearing. The glass-ceramics were used to produce powder compacts for veneering materials, which would be used on metal frameworks (primarily multiunit dental bridges). With regard to the processing of the aqueous slurry, coatings with inorganic and organic substances are preferred.