A process for preparing a prosthetic element comprising a glass-ceramic body. including the steps of a) providing a basic body comprising an amorphous glass phase and containing the components of the glass-ceramic body to be prepared, and b) transferring energy to the basic body to induce conversion of a starting phase of the material of the basic body into at least one crystalline phase in a confined region. According to the invention, energy is transferred to the confined region of the basic body by laser irradiating said region with a laser beam having a wavelength of at least 500 nm.

The present invention relates to a method for making a three dimensional carbon structure and also to a sintered article comprising pyrolysed carbon particles. The method comprises sintering a powdered organic material, preferably using selective laser sintering, to form a sintered three dimensional structure having a desired shape. The sintered structure is then pyrolysed to form the final carbon structure. The method is particularly useful in the production of biomedical implants such as bone scaffolds and joint replacements. In some embodiments, the powdered organic material is lignin which provides a renewable and highly cost effective starting material for the method of the present invention.

A process for preparing glass-ceramic body including the steps of providing a basic glass body and subjecting the basic glass body to a thermal treatment whereby a crystalline phase embedded in a glass matrix is formed. The basic glass body is made of a composition comprising 65 to 72 wt-% SiO.sub.2, at least 10.1 wt-% Li.sub.2O and at least 10.1 wt-% Al.sub.2O.sub.3 based on the total weight of the composition, the proportion of Li.sub.2O to Al.sub.2O.sub.3 being from 1:1 to 1.5:1. The thermal treatment involves a nucleation step followed by several crystallization steps at different temperatures, whereby at least two different crystalline phases are formed.

Lithium disilicate-apatite glass ceramics comprising transition metal oxide are described which are characterized by a high chemical stability, and the translucence of which can be adjusted as desired, and which can therefore be used in particular as restoration material in dentistry.

Provided is lithium disilicate crystalline glass containing cristobalite crystal phase for high strength and aesthetic traits and its manufacturing process thereof. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide the high strength and aesthetic lithium disilicate crystalline glass, one kind of dental restoration materials, and its manufacturing method which induces the growth of the different crystal phase, cristobalite, from glass with lithium disilicate crystal.

A part adapted for in vivo endosseous implantation made up of a material comprising a thermoplastic organic binder and a fiber charge. The fibers located in a surface layer of the part are mostly delaminated from the binder over all or part of their length. Also, a method for manufacturing such a part.

A system, method and composition for making a dental ceramics block. The system, method, and composition resulting in natural color matching without drying time between color layers. The system, method and composition also resulting in good color preparation on restorations of about 0.001 mm-1.000 mm thickness.

Provided is a fluoroaluminosilicate glass powder that can provide a dental glass ionomer cement hardened body excellent in acid resistance, the glass powder including sodium and potassium which have an effect of lowering the reflective index of glass. A mass ratio of potassium to sodium in the component is in the range of from 1.2 to 1.9 in terms of oxide.

A dental restorative composition is provided that includes a polymerizable resin, a substantially translucent structural filler, a nanofiller having a mean particle size less than 100 nm, and at least one rheology-modifying additive. In one embodiment, the structural filler has a refractive index substantially similar to that of the polymerizable resin, a coarse particle fraction, and a fine particle fraction having a mean particle size greater than 0.1 m and smaller than the mean particle size of the coarse particle fraction. The relative ratio of the coarse particle fraction to the fine particle fraction is in the range from about 12:1 to about 2:1 by volume, the particle size distribution of each fraction is essentially monomodal, and the D(90) of the fine particle fraction is less than or equal to the D(10) of the coarse particle fraction.

A method of smoothing teeth is disclosed, the utility of which is based on surprising empirical evidence achieved via practice of a method involving application of calcium thereto and maintaining it in contact therewith by application of a composition of matter that adheres to said teeth.