Statement of problem: The bond strength of porcelain to titanium is insufficient to provide a clinically acceptable alternative to existing alloys for metal ceramic restorations.
Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of gold coating on the adhesion of porcelain to titanium.
Material and methods: Forty titanium plates (25 × 8 × 1 mm) were prepared by casting and machining procedures to make 2 groups of each type (n=10). All plates were subjected to airborne-particle abrasion with alumina powder. One of each of the cast and machined groups was gold sputtered. A layer of porcelain was built up onto the titanium plates of all groups with a conventional technique. A precrack was created at the center of the specimen. Specimens were then subjected to a 4-point bending test with a universal testing machine. The load recorded from the test was used to determine adhesion in terms of the strain energy release rate (G value). The data were analyzed with ANOVA and post hoc testing (α=.05). The interfacial area of the tested specimen was then examined with scanning electron microscopy.
Results: The G values of the gold-sputtered groups were significantly higher than those of the uncoated groups for both cast and machined groups (P<.05). No significant differences were noted within the groups.
Conclusions: The adhesion between porcelain and titanium was significantly improved when titanium was sputter coated with gold in both the cast and machined groups.
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