Dental alloys used for crown and bridge restorations by dental technicians in New Zealand.

Objective: To determine the range and elemental composition of alloys used for PFM and crown-and-bridge restorations by New Zealand dental laboratories, and to understand the reasons for their selection.

Materials And Methods: Two waves of data collection were carried out via post and telephone interview. The source population was dental laboratories advertised with the Yellow Pages Group in 2007/2008.

Results: A total of 83 out of 109 laboratories (76.1%) responded. Of those, 35 laboratories (42.1%) reported producing fixed-prosthodontic restorations. The range of alloy types (consisting of high noble, noble and base-metal alloys), brand names (55 products) and manufacturers was determined, along with the reasons for their selection. Ten international dental alloy manufacturers were identified as being used, with the leading manufacturer being Ivoclar-Vivadent (40.9%), followed by Argen (25.3%). Most laboratories select their alloys based on price and physical properties. The average laboratory carries three to four alloy products.

Conclusion: Alloy selection by dentists and dental technicians is strongly influenced by economic factors. While the study identified the range of alloys being used for fixed restorations in terms of alloy type and brand name, further research is needed to determine the proportions of fixed restorations produced from high noble, noble and base metal alloys, together with dental practitioners' attitudes to, and preferences in, alloy selection.