Junzo Takahashi

Solubility and crystallinity in relation to fluoride content of fluoridated hydroxyapatites.

Fluoridated hydroxyapatites were synthesized at 80 degrees C (pH 7.4) to study their crystallinity and solubility in relation to fluoride content. The crystallinity of fluoridated hydroxyapatities increased initially, then decreased, and finally increased again with the degree of fluoridation, whereas the decrease in relative solubility of fluoridated hydroxyapatites at 25 degrees C (pH 4.0) was proportional to the logarithm of the fluoride content.

Crystallinity and Solubility Characteristics of Hydroxyapatite Adsorbed Amino Acid

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) was synthesized in the presence of a variety of amino acids in order to investigate the effect of amino acid on the crystallinity and the solubility characteristics of HAp in the HAp-synthesizing condition. In the results of X-ray diffraction analysis, HAp synthesized in the presence of glycine (HAp-Gly), serine (HAp-Ser), aspartic acid (HAp-Asp) and glutamic acid (HAp-Glu) showed poor crystallinity compared with HAp synthesized in the absence of amino acid (HAp-con). The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy suggested the adsorption of these amino acids on HAp. Scanning electron microphotographs showed that the size and morphology of HAp adsorbed amino acids changed significantly. Furthermore, the solubility of these HAps increased significantly compared to HAp-con, each differing in four amino acids. However, other amino acids did not affect the crystallinity and morphology of HAp and had no significant change in their solubility. Collectively, this study suggests that the crystallinity and the solubility of synthesized HAp are different owing to the variation of amino acids in the HAp synthesizing condition. It is expected that digestion-regulated HAp materials could be synthesized by using amino acid in their synthesizing condition.

Casting Pure Titanium into Commercial Phosphate-bonded SiO2 Investment Molds

Pure titanium was cast into five different phosphate-bonded SiO2 investment mold materials (at 350°C) with an argon-arc melting and pressure casting machine. The mesh castability, the fit of the MOD inlay castings, and the Knoop hardness and the micro-structure in cross-sections of castings were examined. The setting and thermal expansion, the compressive strength, and the x-ray diffraction analysis of the investments were also measured. The castability, the fit, and the thickness of the reacted layer differed in degree among these investments, in spite of the same phosphate-bonded SiO2-type investment. A significant correlation was obtained between the thermal expansion (at 350°C) and the casting accuracy.

Solubility Behavior of CO3 Apatites in Relation to Crystallinity

To study the susceptibility of carbonate-containing apatites to caries, synthetic CO3 apatites with various crystallinities and carbonate contents were prepared at 40, 60 and 80 °C. The cry

Unstable Behavior of Magnesium-Containing Hydroxyapatites

Hydroxyapatites with various magnesium contents were synthesized at 80 °C and pH 7.4 to study their physicochemical stability. The contraction of their c-axis dimensions observed in X-ray diffraction

Insolubilized properties of UV-irradiated C03 apatite-collagen composites

To examine the response to biological hard tissues, a carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite with chemical composition and crystallinity similar to those of bone was synthesized at pH 7.4 and 60 degrees C. The apatite powder was mixed with collagen solution, whose antigenicity had been removed by enzymatic treatment, and formed into apatite-collagen pellets. After insolubilization by UV-irradiation for 4 h, the composites showed remarkably reduced disintegration and maintained their shape under 3.6 MPa of stress after 1 wk incubation in 0.9% NaCl solution. They showed good biocompatibility when implanted beneath the periosteum cranii of rats. The UV-irradiated sample kept its features well and was packed with newly created material 3 wk after implantation.

Complete 3-D reconstruction of dental cast shape using perceptual grouping

To achieve the complete three-dimensional (3-D) data retrieval of the shape of dentition, dental casts were measured from four directions; occlusal, right, left, and labial sides using a line laser scanner. Reconstruction of the entire shape, including undercuts and tooth crowding area, was attempted by applying a perceptual grouping algorithm, which is one of pattern-recognition theories. In the data measured from occlusal, right and left sides, the rows of measurements were parallel to the frontal plane, and three-directionally combined data (3-DC data) was accomplished by affine transformation. While, in the labial side, transformation to the frontal plane was done since rows of the measured data were parallel to the sagittal plane. To combine the labial data with the 3-DC data and reconstruct the complete image, rearrangement of the order of the data in the file was attempted by applying the perceptual grouping. That is, the minimum total length of data combining was examined by considering the factor of proximity and continuity between the data. The most appropriate order of data combining and recognition of islands were accomplished. Using a computer graphic (CG) with a wire-frame model, complicated regions such as anterior segments showing tooth crowding and undercut area were found to be successfully reconstructed without any data defects. The accuracy of reconstruction was ascertained by comparing the characteristic distances between apexes of molars in the reconstructed model with the real cast. The difference was within 0.3 mm, and present method for dental cast reconstruction is considered to be satisfactory for the present purpose such as orthodontics.

Functionally graded fluoridated apatites

Fluoridated hydroxyapatite was synthesized at 80 +/- 1 degree C and pH 7.4 +/- 0.2 using a gradient fluoride supply system. X-ray diffraction analysis showed a typically apatitic pattern, although the (3 0 0) reflection was broader than that of homogeneous fluorapatite. Scanning electron micrographic observation indicated that the apatite was composed of rod-like crystals similarly to fluorapatite. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed electron damage in the core of the crystal. When the apatite pellet was prepared, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis showed a negative gradient of fluoride concentration with depth in the crystals. The apparent solubility in 0.5 mol/l acetate buffer solution (37 degrees C and pH 4.0) was 9.16 +/- 0.39 mmol/l, much less than that of homogeneous hydroxyapatite 32.3 +/- 1.9 mmol/l, and less than that of heterogeneous two-layer fluoridated apatite with an outer fluoride-rich layer 12.5 +/- 0.6 mmol/l, which was synthesized previously by supplying fluoride during the latter half of the experimental period. These results suggest that graded fluoridated apatite may be formed by this process and have higher acid resistance than two-layer fluoridated apatite.

Analysis of paramagnetic centers in X-ray-irradiated enamel, bone, and carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite by electron spin resonance spectroscopy

SummaryCarbonate-containing hydroxyapatite, enamel, and bone were irradiated by an X-ray and investigated between 77° and 350°K by means of electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy.The ESR spectrum of enamel irradiated at 77°K in vacuum and observed at the same temperature was almost the same as that of the carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite. The temperature dependence of signal intensities confirms a spin-energy exchange between the mineral and organic constituents in bone, but in enamel no or very little spinenergy exchange between the mineral and organic constituents.Considerable similarity among the ESR spectra of enamel, bone, and carbonate-containing apatite was obtained after X-ray irradiation in air at 300°K with both an X-band and a Q-band ESR spectrometer. The Q-band spectrum can be interpreted in terms of two paramagnetic species. One is identified as a CO33− anion radical which has an axial symmetry withg factors of 2.0029 and 1.9972. The other species is found to be centered atg=2.0019.

Differences in solubility of two types of heterogeneous fluoridated hydroxyapatites

Two types of heterogeneous fluoridated apatites, H-F and F-H, were synthesized by supplying fluoride over the whole range of the degree of fluoridation (X = 0-1.0) during the initial or final half of the experimental period. Although X-ray diffraction patterns and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photographs of both H-F and F-H type apatites were not significantly different, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) showed quite different features; H-F type apatites were elongated hexagons with electron beam damage in the core, while F-H type apatites were rather wider hexagons and approached the typical hexagon of fluorapatite. These results supported the previous speculations on the two different types of heterogeneous fluoridated hydroxyapatites synthesized with fluoride concentration stoichiometrically equivalent to that of fluorapatite: hydroxyapatite covered with fluorapatite and fluorapatite covered with hydroxyapatite. The apparent solubility of H-F type apatites decreased with increases in degree of fluoridation, while that of F-H type apatites decreased markedly and then remained almost constant.