[Effects of laser welding on bond of porcelain fused cast pure titanium].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of the laser welding on bond of porcelain fused to cast pure titanium.


METHODS
Twenty cast titanium plates were divided into two groups: laser welded group and control group. The low-fusing porcelain was fused to the laser welded cast pure titanium plates at fusion zone. The bond strength of the porcelain to laser welded cast pure titanium was measured by the three-point bending test. The interface of titanium and porcelain was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy depressive X-ray detector (EDX). The non-welded titanium plates were used as comparison.


RESULTS
No significant difference of the bond strength was found between laser-welded samples [(46.85 +/- 0.76) MPa] and the controls [(41.71 +/- 0.55) MPa] (P > 0.05). The SEM displayed the interface presented similar irregularities with a predominance. The titanium diffused to low-fusing porcelain, while silicon and aluminum diffused to titanium basement.


CONCLUSIONS
Laser welding does not affect low-fusing porcelain fused to pure titanium.
Zhu
Juan-fang
JF
Department of Prosthodontics, College of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
He
Hui-ming
HM
Gao
Bo
B
Wang
Zhong-yi
ZY
D003735:Dental Casting Technique; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D012994:Dental Soldering / Q000379:methods*; D007834:Lasers; D008422:Materials Testing; D014025:Titanium
D003776:Dental Porcelain; D014025:Titanium