Dental Ingots For Casting
We have our own range of CE marked dental alloys:
ALEXIUM 21 cobalt chrome for partial dentures
ALEXIUM W cobalt chrome for ceramic bonding
NIMON EXTRA nickel chrome for ceramic bonding
Ingots are 8mm x 13mm and laser marked with the product code and batch number.
Casting alloys can be manufactured according to customer specific compositions for whole sale. We can supply anything from 1m length rods or bars to polished ingots, complete with laser mark.
Free from beryllium, cadmium and lead.
According to the American Dental Association; exposure to beryllium vapor or particles is associated with a number of diseases including lung carcinoma, osteosarcoma, contact dermatitis and chronic granulomatous lung disease, known as chronic beryllium disease (CBD).
Believe it or not, some dental alloy manufacturers actually add beryllium to facilitate melting and casting! MD Alloys does not add beryllium. In fact, one of our priorities is to ensure that it is not there. We don’t need beryllium in our alloys.
We also ensure the absence of cadmium and lead which are also highly toxic. Inhaling even very small amounts of cadmium dust can very quickly cause respiratory and renal disease which is potentially fatal.
Grain size
The small grain size in our dental casting alloys positively influences their mechanical, melting, casting and finishing properties. It also adds to their excellent corrosion resistance.
The average grain size of our dental alloys is less than 7 microns. This is very small in comparison with other leading products on the market which appear to average at over 30 microns.
The superior quality is due to 2 reasons:
- The raw materials are supplied from the mine as pure charge ingredients in a very fine powder form. We do not recycle metal for orthopaedic and dental alloys.
- The advanced furnaces used to make our ingots ensure a homogenous melt.
Microscopic analysis showing grain distribution in ALEXIUM 21
Many of the important mechanical properties of alloys, including yield strength, hardness, ductility and corrosion resistance can be improved by refining the grain size. This is one of the reasons why our alloys are so strong.
Porcelain bonding
Bond strength with compatible ceramic is excellent. See the product instructions for recommendations. ALEXIUM W cobalt chrome bonding alloy has a CTE of 14.1, while NIMON EXTRA nickel chrome alloy has a CTE of 13.8. Most of our customers choose to bond their ceramics without completing an oxidation firing. This seems to vary depending upon trends in different countries. We suggest our customers continue with the methods they have become accustomed to.
Strength
Due to their high strength, ALEXIUM W and NIMON EXTRA ceramic bonding alloys are categorised as type 4 alloys according to the ISO (International Standards Organisation). Type 4 is the highest requirement for dental alloys intended for ceramic bonding. It means they can be recommended for long span bridge work. ALEXIUM W cobalt chrome ceramic bonding alloy has a tensile strength of 805 MPa and an elongation of 15 %. NIMON EXTRA has a tensile strength of 830 MPa and an elongation of 6%.
ALEXIUM 21 is categorised as a type 5 dental alloy according to the ISO (International Standards Organisation). Type 5 is the highest standard for partial denture alloys and means it can be reliably used in thin section. ALEXIUM 21 denture alloy has a tensile strength of 819 MPa and an elongation of 12%. This means it has premium bending control, elasticity and fracture resistance.
Solid state and fit
Cooling shrinkage is minimal and predictable. Correct sprue and reservoir design will ensure accuracy of fit.
Corrosion resistance
Cobalt and nickel alloys are historically known as superalloys and are famous for their resistance to the effects of corrosion, wear and high temperatures.
The International Standard for corrosion testing of dental alloys was changed in August 2011.
ISO 10271:2011 now requires a 40 day lactic acid immersion with multiple tests throughout this period for metal ions released as a result of corrosion. It also requires a enhanced electrolytic corrosion analysis.
Independent tests confirm all of our dental alloys conform to ISO 10271:2011
Biocompatibility
Cobalt chrome molybdenum is a recognised as a bio-inert implantable material. Thousands of tons have been used by the world’s leading manufacturers of hip, knee and spinal implants in the past few years.
We commissioned Geneva Laboratories, USA to complete independent cytotoxicity trials. Their results demonstrate that all of our dental alloys are non-cytotoxic.
View cytotoxicity test results for ALEXIUM 21 [Download PDF]
View cytotoxicity test results for ALEXIUM W [Download PDF]
View cytotoxicity test results for NIMON EXTRA [Download PDF]