The effect of surface treatments on the microroughness of laser-sintered and vacuum-cast base metal alloys for dental prosthetic frameworks.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of four chemomechanical surface treatments on the surface average microroughness and profile of laser-sintered and vacuum-cast dental prosthetic structures. Square-shaped blocks (10 mm × 10 mm × 1.5 mm) were prepared as follows: (1) laser-sintered CoCr (L) (ST2724G); (2) cast Co-Cr (C) (Gemium-cn); and (3) cast Ni-Cr-Ti (T) (Tilite). Specimens of each alloy group were randomly divided into five subgroups (n = 10 each), depending on the conditioning method used: (1) no treatment (control); (2) sandblasting (125 μm Al₂O₃-particles); (3) silica coating (50 μm silica-modified Al₂O₃-particles); (4) oxidation; and (5) oxidation plus opacification. Subgroups 2 and 3 represent "inner" pretreatments proposed for ceramometal restorations to improve the metal surface area available for luting cements. Subgroups 4 and 5 are the "outer" pretreatments required for bonding the aesthetic veneering ceramics to the underlying metal frameworks. Average surface roughness (Ra/μm) was determined using a surface profilometer. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls tests (α = 0.05). Metal surface topography was SEM-analyzed. Despite the inner pretreatment applied, L samples resulted in the highest microroughness (P < 0.001), whereas sandblasting produced a surface-smoothing effect in cast specimens. After oxidation, a significant increase in surface roughness occurred in all groups compared with controls, L specimens being the roughest (P < 0.001). Opacification caused a flattening effect of all oxidized structures; all opacified groups resulting in similar microroughness. Laser sintering of Co-Cr enhances the roughness of metal structures, which may improve the frameworks' microretention of the cements, and of the opaquer before the copings are veneered with the aesthetic ceramics.