title: Digital imaging techniques for dental alloy castability quantification.
abstract: In this study, mesh monitors cast from experimental compositions of a Ni-Cr-Be alloy are evaluated by the application of image analysis techniques. Castability values obtained by this method are then contrasted with those from three commonly employed manual counting procedures. While castability values obtained by all methods reflect the effect of compositional variations, a comparison of results with respect to evaluation method indicates that the image analysis technique consistently yields higher castability values, especially evident in the poorly casting groups. The apparent explanation for these observed differences is that with imaging, segments that are partially cast to varying degrees are not arbitrarily eliminated from the data, as is the usual practice in manual counting methods; therefore, castability values obtained by using the imaging technique will very closely reflect an actual alloy volume of each cast monitor.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Dental School, Newark 07103-2425.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Vaidyanathan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanabe
mesh_terms: D001608:Beryllium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D002858:Chromium Alloys / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D003626:Data Display; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003734:Dental Casting Investment / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D003735:Dental Casting Technique / Q000295:instrumentation; D004867:Equipment Design; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D002858:Chromium Alloys; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003734:Dental Casting Investment; D001608:Beryllium