1. Primary Information about Biomaterials.- 2. Tooth Problems and Infections.- 3. Dental Restorative Materials.- 4. Tooth Pastes and Mouth Washes: The Two Commonly Known Dental Preventive Materials.- 5. Nanoparticles in Dentistry.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dr. h.c. mult. Holm Altenbach is a member of the International Research Center on Mathematics and Mechanics of Complex Systems (M&MoCS), Italy, and the International Association of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (GAMM). In 1996, he was appointed as a Full Professor (Engineering Mechanics) at the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, and since 2011, he has been a Full Professor at the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. He graduated from Leningrad Polytechnic Institute in 1980 (diploma with a distinction), defended his Ph.D. and obtained his postgraduate degree (habilitation) from the same university in 1983 and 1987, respectively. His areas of scientific interest include theory of plates and shells with applications, continuum mechanics and material modeling, generalized media, sandwiches and laminates. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics/Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik (the oldest journal in mechanics in Germany) and of Springer's Advanced Structured Materials series. He is a member of the editorial board of several journals: Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Technische Mechanik, Mechanics of Composite Materials and the Journal of Strain Analysis for Engineering Design. He was awarded the Polish Humboldt Prize in 2018, and in November 2019, he was elected as a Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
This book discusses the current biomaterials used for dental applications and the basic sciences underpinning their application. The most critical structures in the oral cavity are the teeth, which play a central role in speaking, biting, chewing, tasting and swallowing. Teeth consist of three types of tissue: the cementum, enamel and dentin, with bone and gingival tissue serving as supporting structures. Caries, tooth wear, trauma and mechanical defects can lead to severe facial conditions; however, correcting these defects remains a challenge for scientists and dentists. Presenting insights form a broad range of disciplines, including materials science, biology, physiology and clinical science, this book provides a timely review of the principles, processing and application of dental materials.