This document discusses metals and dental alloys used in dentistry. It covers the following key points:
1. Metals belong to the oldest dental materials but pure metals are not commonly used. Specialty prepared dental alloys fulfill the requirements of durability, hardness, stiffness, toughness, and resistance to corrosion and wear better than pure metals.
2. Dental alloys are mixtures of metals or other elements that improve metal properties. Alloys allow achieving the required material qualities like strength and hardness.
3. Important properties of dental alloys include mechanical properties like strength, hardness, and elasticity. Physical properties like color and resistance to corrosion are also important. Alloys are chosen based on balancing these