The effect of a novel silicon carbide (SiC) coating on the chemical durability of a fluorapatite glass-ceramic veneer was investigated by examining weight loss and ion release levels. The hypothesis that this novel coating will exhibit significant corrosion resistance was tested. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP) was used for ion concentration determination and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for surface morphology analyses. Samples were immersed in pH 10 and pH 2 buffer solutions to represent extreme conditions in the oral cavity. Analyses were done at 15 and 30 days. The SiC coated group demonstrated significant reduction in weight loss across all solutions and time points (p < 0.0001). Ion release analyses demonstrated either a marginally lower or a significantly lower release of ions for the SiC-coated disks. SEM analysis reveals planarization of surfaces by the SiC-coated group. The surfaces of coated samples were not as corroded as the non-coated samples, which is indicative of the protective nature of these coatings. In conclusion, SiC is a novel coating that holds promise for improving the performance of ceramic materials used for dental applications.
Keywords: coating; corrosion; glass-ceramic; ion release; weight loss.