Date of Award
Summer 1985
Document Type
Thesis - Restricted
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Dentistry
First Advisor
Brantley, William A.
Abstract
This thesis investigation has often seemed like a life story, as well as a scientific endeavor. The ups and downs, which many who undertake such ventures can relate to, and the intrinsic aspects that would take too long to describe, are all part of the cast and contributed their influence in one way or another. While I would like to talk extensively about the last three years, I realize the need for brevity. So, to be brief I will just note that many times the situations were like those pieces of gold. No matter how bleak the picture looked or the metal after a particular heat treatment, it was still gold underneath and only needed a good polish to glow again. This investigation was performed to look at the specific basic metallurgical properties of four economy noble metal alloys which account for a substantial portion of the cast restorations being placed today. In general, their compositions represent a similar pattern for other brands, reflecting the widespread use of these alloys. In the next chapter an extensive review of the literature will illustrate the progress of work on all types of dental gold alloys, particularly those formulated for research purposes. The present investigation draws upon this information and that obtained utilizing the conventional metallurgical techniques of optical metallography, microhardness testing and X-ray diffraction analysis to probe these proprietary compositions. While additional research utilizing the increased resolving power of the transmission election microscope would have been worthwhile, the means employed provided sufficient data for a comprehensive study, It was interesting to note that through the use of routine metallurgical techniques, a knowledgeable grasp of the alloys can be obtained, to almost predict their clinical performance in other areas such as tarnish and corrosion resistance and biocompatibility. These are simply my feelings and are not intended to substitute for scientific investigation. As for further research, additional work would add to our knowledge base and is therefore recommended.
Recommended Citation
Egan, Ronald, "Basic Metallurgy and Cast Structures of Reduced Gold Dental Alloys" (1985). Master's Theses (1922-2009) Access restricted to Marquette Campus. 5400.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/theses/5400