(Brightfield, L. The Dentist’s Problem—Satisfactory Material for Restoring Teeth. J. Chem. Educ., 1929, 6 (2), p 308) The author also discusses at length the state of the art with regard to dental cements used to hold the fillings in place. He concludes his article by saying that It is likely that some of these dental requirements will be difficult to meet. But the dentist is confident that the chemist will continue to study dental cements and eventually give him a formula that will answer most if not all his requirements. The dentist's greatest problem has always been that of finding satisfactory materials for restoring teeth and with the aid of the chemist his problem is on the way to satisfactory conclusion. (Ibid; p 313) Here is a similar list from 1999, 70 years later: Ideally, a dental restorative material should be perfectly compatible with the oral environment and should fulfill the criteria set out below: easily and placed as an unset paste short working and setting times rapid buildup in mechanical properties on setting match of thermal and expansion properties with the tooth high resistance to erosion and degradation by oral fluids/saliva, brushing, and flossing biologically inert or bioactive achieves a hermetic seal with the surrounding tooth tissue color and translucency to match the tooth high strength (tensile and compressive) inexpensive (Nicholson, J.; Anstice,H. Chemistry Everyday for Everyone: The Chemistry of Modern Dental Filling Materials. J. Chem. Educ., 1999, 76 (11), pp 1497–1501; abstract available online at ; article available to subscribers only at this same URL) Comparing the two we have: Desirable Physical Properties of Dental Fillings Brightfield, 1929 Anstice, 1999 Indestructible in the High resistance to erosion by saliva, etc. Adaptable to walls of tooth, tampable, Achieves hermetic seal with surrounding malleable tissue Free from shrinkage Match expansion properties of tooth Hard resistant to wear and chewing High strength – Strong and tough to prevent fracture High tensile and compressive strength Good color and appearance Color and translucency to match tooth Non-conductor of thermal heat or cold Match of thermal properties of tooth Non-toxic to root or nerve Biologically inert or bioactive
(Brightfield, L. The Dentist’s Problem—Satisfactory Material for Restoring Teeth. J. Chem. Educ., 1929, 6 (2), p 308) The author also discusses at length the state of the art with regard to dental cements used to hold the fillings in place. He concludes his article by saying that It is likely that some of these dental requirements will be difficult to meet. But the dentist is confident that the chemist will continue to study dental cements and eventually give him a formula that will answer most if not all his requirements. The dentist's greatest problem has always been that of finding satisfactory materials for restoring teeth and with the aid of the chemist his problem is on the way to satisfactory conclusion. (Ibid; p 313) Here is a similar list from 1999, 70 years later: Ideally, a dental restorative material should be perfectly compatible with the oral environment and should fulfill the criteria set out below: easily and placed as an unset paste short working and setting times rapid buildup in mechanical properties on setting match of thermal and expansion properties with the tooth high resistance to erosion and degradation by oral fluids/saliva, brushing, and flossing biologically inert or bioactive achieves a hermetic seal with the surrounding tooth tissue color and translucency to match the tooth high strength (tensile and compressive) inexpensive (Nicholson, J.; Anstice,H. Chemistry Everyday for Everyone: The Chemistry of Modern Dental Filling Materials. J. Chem. Educ., 1999, 76 (11), pp 1497–1501; abstract available online at ; article available to subscribers only at this same URL) Comparing the two we have: Desirable Physical Properties of Dental Fillings Brightfield, 1929 Anstice, 1999 Indestructible in the High resistance to erosion by saliva, etc. Adaptable to walls of tooth, tampable, malleable Achieves hermetic seal with surrounding tissue Free from shrinkage Match expansion properties of tooth Hard – resistant to wear and chewing High strength Strong and tough to prevent fracture High tensile and compressive strength Good color and appearance Color and translucency to match tooth Non-conductor of thermal heat or cold Match of thermal properties of tooth Non-toxic to root or nerve Biologically inert or bioactive
chemmatters-tg-oct2015-tooth-decay.docx