Glass-fibre ribbon (Splinting of teeth/reinforcing restorations)
A glass-fibre ribbon consists of glass drawn to very thin strands (diameter 10 µm to 20 µm). The resulting glass-fibres (“long fibres” >10 mm) can simply be twisted together (cords, mats) in the same direction lying next to each other or linked as with textiles to woven fabrics or meshes to increase significantly the dimensional stability and resistance to forces from different directions.
A composite material is created by embedding the glass-fibres in a different material (matrix). Though loose glass-fibres were first used in dentistry sporadically for reinforcing in the 1970s, the use of glass-fibre ribbons has become established since the 1990s.
Glass-fibres have a decisive advantage compared with other technically used fibres (e.g. carbon fibres), as they are transparent and aesthetically inconspicuous. The glass-fibre surfaces are silanized to improve the bond with the resin matrix. They are then impregnated (wetted) with a bonder/dental adhesive. The prefabricated ribbons in standard use today in the dental sector are divided into non-preimpregnated and preimpregnated (so-called prepregs).
Glass-fibre ribbons are used in different disciplines in dentistry with or without prepreparation of the tooth structure, e.g. in:
The glass-fibre ribbons must be handled with great care using metal instruments to avoid contamination of the bond surface with subsequent failure of the adhesive. Protected storage prevents drying out, material ageing or premature polymerisation. Application from a light-protected bottle greatly facilitates dispensing and significantly increases the shelf-life.
Many dental materials exhibit high compressive strength. Glass-fibres mainly improve the tensile strength and are, therefore, most effective when placed in tensile zones. Mechanical properties of the bond are influenced by various factors: the proportion of fibre and matrix should be in the region of 50% each to utilise the advantages of the glass-fibre and avoid cohesive fractures within excessively thick composite regions. Pre-impregnated ribbons are already manufactured in this manner. They should be placed close to the tooth (with splinting, collar-shaped in the interdental space) and fill the framework to be fabricated as completely as possible.
After a splint or restoration is finished, the glass-fibres should always be covered thinly but completely by composite (to prevent chipping and swelling due to water intake). Generally, flowable, low-filled composite materials (flowables) are applied using the brush technique for covering the fibres.
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Collagen membranes are hydrophilic resorbable membranes. Xenogenic (e.g. bovine or porcine) collagen membranes are mainly used in the dental sector. Collagen membranes are hydrophilic resorbable membranes. Xenogenic (e.g. bovine or porcine) collagen membranes are mainly used in the dental sector. |