Ceramic Multilayer Blank for Gingiva Color
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing ceramic materials for dental restorations struggle to create a pink color similar to human gingiva, which is essential for dental applications like full or partial dentures and implant-supported structures.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a ceramic multilayer blank with layers of different compositions, including zirconium dioxide doped with yttrium oxide, manganese, cobalt, iron, terbium, and erbium oxides, where each layer has a unique surface structure and composition, allowing for a continuous transition in color and translucency, mimicking the appearance of human gingiva.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional single-layer ceramic materials are used for dental restorations, then the production process is simple, but the color similarity to human gingiva is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The ceramic restoration is divided into multiple layers with different compositions and functions. The first layer contains pink colorants (erbium oxide, manganese oxide, cobalt oxide) to simulate gingiva color, while the second layer contains tooth-colored materials (yttrium oxide, zirconium dioxide) for the crown portion. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function, achieving realistic gingiva coloration while maintaining production feasibility through systematic material distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ceramic restoration are assigned different material compositions tailored to local requirements. The first layer (gingiva region) is enriched with pink colorants to match human gingiva appearance, while the second layer (tooth region) uses traditional tooth-colored ceramic materials. This local quality approach ensures that each area has the optimal color and optical properties for its specific anatomical location, achieving high overall realism.
2Productivity
If manual veneer application and fusing processes are used, then material application flexibility is maintained, but production time is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The different ceramic layers are prepared and positioned in the mold before the pressing and sintering process. The first layer with pink colorants and the second layer with tooth-colored materials are pre-assembled in the correct sequence and position, allowing the pressing operation to simultaneously compact and bond both layers. This preliminary arrangement eliminates the need for subsequent manual veneer application and multiple fusing cycles, dramatically reducing production time while maintaining precise color transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressing and sintering operations are combined into a single integrated process that simultaneously densifies and bonds multiple ceramic layers. The layers are compacted under pressure and then sintered in one continuous operation, creating strong interlayer bonds without requiring separate veneer attachment steps. This merging of operations streamlines production, reducing both time and the number of processing stages while achieving precise color and translucency transitions through controlled material composition.
3Illumination intensity
If ceramic materials with high pink color intensity are used, then gingiva color similarity is improved, but translucency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The optical properties of the ceramic material are optimized by precisely controlling the concentration and combination of colorant oxides. The first layer contains erbium oxide (0.01-5 wt%), manganese oxide (0.01-2 wt%), and cobalt oxide (0.01-2 wt%) in carefully balanced proportions that generate sufficient pink coloration while maintaining adequate light transmission. This parameter optimization allows the material to achieve both high color intensity for realistic gingiva simulation and sufficient translucency for natural appearance under oral lighting conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively produces a ceramic material with a pink color similar to human gingiva, offering improved color intensity and translucency transitions, along with enhanced bending strength, suitable for dental restorations.
Implementation Method 1
wherein the first layer and the second layer are made of ceramic materials of different compositions, which are filled in pourable condition layer-by-layer into a mold and thereafter they are pressed and then sintered
Data Source
Figure 1a~1d
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3d
AI summary
The present invention is related to a method for producing a ceramic multilayer blank comprising at least a first layer of a first ceramic material and at least a second layer of a second ceramic material, wherein the first layer and the second layer are made of ceramic materials of different compositions, which are filled in pourable condition layer-by-layer into a mold and thereafter they are pressed and then sintered, wherein the first layer is a pink colored layer, wherein the first ceramic material comprises 2 to 25 wt%, preferably 4 to 17 wt%, and more preferably 5 to 12 wt%, erbium oxide.