Silicon Nitride for Dental Applications

Dental diseases have a substantial impact on systemic health and represent a significant global health and socioeconomic challenge. Maintaining proper oral health necessitates preventive measures, and increasingly, interventions are aimed at mitigating the decline in the bio-psychosocial well-being of patients as their oral health deteriorates with age. Dental implants have emerged as an effective intervention, experiencing nearly a ninefold increase in utilization over the past decade. However, the success of dental implants critically depends on their osseointegration with the alveolar bone. In this chapter, the properties of various materials employed in dental reconstruction are reviewed, with a specific focus on silicon nitride (Si3N4). As a potential dental implant material, Si3N4 offers mechanical stability, seamless osseous integration, antimicrobial characteristics, and the advantage of avoiding metal exposure in the oral cavity. While monolithic Si3N4 is gaining prominence as a promising bioceramic for dental implants due to its strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance in the oral environment, the functionalization of titanium and zirconia implants with bioactive Si3N4 powders is being considered as a method to improve their osseous integration. Although current studies have been limited to in vitro and animal experiments, they have demonstrated that Si3N4 is at least as effective as existing endosseous implants or treatments. Moreover, Si3N4 has been shown to combat the primary causative pathogen of periodontal disease and gingivitis—Porphyromonas gingivalis—and it may also play a role in suppressing bacteria associated with dental caries and periodontal disease. While awaiting regulatory clearance for oral applications, Si3N4’s advantageous properties hold significant promise for future clinical validation and widespread adoption.