Fields of research

In addition to the conventional study of material properties of dental materials, various methods to age dental prostheses have been adopted. A device designed to simulate the oral situation has been developed and accounts for variable chewing forces, staircase stresses, grinding movements, different temperature loads, and the mobility of individual teeth in the jaw bone. Beside artificial ageing, it is used to perform wear tests and study composite materials. Evaluation is done with a 3D laser scanner, amongst other things. The link between in-vitro results and in-vivo situations is investigated. The translation of the artificial ageing to other medical fields and technical applications appears reasonable.

Various dental materials can be specified using analytical methods such as DSC, TGA, and DMA. Here, material innovations are tested for serviceability and materials already in service are evaluated. Reactive behaviour, conversion rates, and physico-chemical properties are studied. The production of experimental plastics allows for the individual constituents of dental composites and their interactions to be investigated.

The rising portion of elderly people underscores the increasing significance of materials for use in partial or total prostheses. Plastic materials for the field of geriatric prostheses were analysed for long-term stability and aesthetic properties (discolouration). The link between prosthetic tooth and prosthetic plastic, and the adaptation of reliners was analysed in vitro for durability. The hardening of prostheses with fibre-reinforced plastics and metal inserts was studied. Properties of materials for temporary prostheses play a critical role for aesthetic and functional reasons.

The properties of dental materials are severely affected by biological attack in the oral cavity. Elements of the saliva can corrode individual metal components. Procedures for artificial ageing of materials are developed to simulate the biological attack on the individual metal components. Beside biofilm simulations, this includes the study of intraoral flow dynamics. Effects on the dental materials are investigated.

Plaque deposits are the main cause of caries and periodontal diseases. Materials preventing or minimising the attachment of bacteria indirectly contribute to keeping the chewing apparatus intact. The in-vitro studies include surface analyses and growth experiments designed to determine the basis of bacterial growth on dental materials. The results of the in-vivo and in-vitro studies allow drawing conclusions as to the impact of various material components on bacterial attachment behaviour.

Tooth-coloured prostheses made from ceramics or composite materials require thorough analysis before they can be translated to clinical applications. The work group looks into strengths, performs margin fit analyses, and addresses questions regarding indication testing and broadening. In this context, near-clinical ageing is simulated in in-vitro tests using the Regensburg chewing simulator. Various cements, zinc oxide phosphate, glass ionomer, and composite cements are studied, in addition to tooth-coloured, FRC or ceramic pin superstructures or new material combinations. Margin quality is assessed using dye penetration methods and by scanning electron microscopy. The combination of ceramics and FRC has been patented.

Minimally invasive treatment is important not only in the field of medicine. In the area of dentistry, the conservation and sparing treatment of the remaining tooth substance is essential for patient satisfaction and subsequent dental therapy. The suitability of various new materials including fibre composites and ceramics is studied in in-vitro experiments for use as glue-in bridges and inlay prostheses for frontal and posterior teeth.

Dental impressions are the central link between dentist and dental technician when it comes to the perfect fit of the dental prosthesis. A so-called sulcus model was designed to evaluate impression materials both old and new (including but not limited to silicones and polyether materials) for their clinical performance. The model enables the study of the hydrophilia and flow properties of different impression compounds, in addition to other material parameters. Materials already approved for the dental market are analysed in the student course and assistant treatment area.

It takes targeted clinical investigations to determine the practical relevance of in-vitro tests. Clinical procedures often help verify the lab results, validate methods and materials or call their applicability into question. Planning and executing these studies with scientific preparations, inter alia in cooperation with the ethics committee, and statistical evaluation are key here. You can help us improve our clinical research. Please see Study participants wanted for details of current clinical studies and your possibility to participate.