Tribological behavior of TiO2 PEEK composite and stainless steel for pediatric crowns

Abstract

Dental decay still presents a major health problem among children. Its treatment usually requires the use of stainless steel crowns. This study compares the wear behavior of 316 L stainless steel and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite under identical test conditions. The wear tests were conducted in a reciprocating ball-on-plate tribometer (Plint TE67/R) using alumina balls as a counterface and artificial saliva as a lubricant at 37 °C to faithfully mimic oral conditions. The coefficient of friction (COF) and specific wear rate (<i>k</i>) values were determined and SEM/EDS examinations were performed to identify the predominant wear mechanisms. Results showed that PEEK exhibited a significantly lower coefficient of friction (COF = 0.094 ± 0.004) and thus lower wear volume (Δ<i>V</i> = 0.0078 ± 0.0125 mm³) and higher wear resistance, with an average value of specific wear rate of <i>k</i> = 9.07 × 10⁻⁶ mm³N⁻¹m⁻¹ when compared to stainless steel (COF = 0.32 ± 0.03, Δ<i>V</i> = 0.0125 ± 0.0029 mm³, <i>k</i> = 1.45 × 10⁻⁵ mm³N⁻¹m⁻¹). PEEK was revealed to be a potential material for use in pediatric crowns due to its high wear resistance while overcoming the disadvantages associated with steel at both an aesthetic and biological level.