Characteristics of Diamond-Like Carbon Films Deposited on Polymer Dental Materials

Abstract

Characterizations of diamond-like carbon (DLC) deposited on a polymer artificial tooth were performed. DLC films were deposited on dental parts made of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) resin by dc-pulse plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from methane. Wear resistance test results revealed that a DLC-coated resin tooth has a very high wear resistance against tooth brushing, and endures 24 h brushing without a marked weight decrease. Cell cultivation test results show that DLC plays an important role in preventing cell death. Moreover, a biocompatibility test using a rabbit revealed that a connective tissue in the vicinity of DLC-coated PMMA is significantly thinner than that of noncoated PMMA. The numbers of inflammatory cells in the vicinity of DLC-coated and noncoated surfaces are 0 and 508 cells/mm2, respectively. These results led us to conclude that DLC films are an excellent material for use as the coating of a polymer artificial tooth in terms of not only high wear resistance but also biocompatibility.