The role of friction in the mechanism of retaining the partial removable dentures with double crown system

Cylindrical telescopic crowns belong to bolt dentures, because their adhesion strength is based on the friction force. The magnitude of static and slide friction forces depends on the strain within the contact area and properties of materials employed. Friction force value between telescope elements declines in the first phase of wearing period and, subsequently, maintains particular constant value of 8 to 10 N. In the telescopic technique, homo and heterogenic joints are used. The following prosthodontic materials have been examined: goldbase alloys (Degudent Kiss, Degulor M), cobalt-base alloy (Brealloy 270), ceramics (Zircon Oxide, Zirconia) during tribological investigations on FGP composite resin. The cooperating surfaces were moistened with synthetic saliva. The research confirmed the dependence of the static friction coefficient on the contact pressure for the analyzed pairs of materials used in prosthodontics. The biggest effect of the contact pressure on the coefficient of friction value occurs when the ceramic rubs on FGP composite resin. The most stable friction coefficient in the context of contact pressure changes as well as life has been found in the case of the cobalt alloy Brealloy 270. An interesting material is a gold alloy Degulor M, for which the coefficient of friction varies only slightly with pressure in the range of 0.6 to 0.9 MPa.