Papers by Author: L.S. Ozyegin

Abstract: Clinoptilolite mineral which is a member of zeolite family has been recently used in medical and dental applications. Until today, it has never been used as a graft material. In the present study tricalcium phosphate (TCP) imbued 90-95% pure clinoptilolite was used as graft in rabbit tibia. General anesthesia was accomplished using intra muscular (IM) injections of Xylazin and Ketamine HCL. TCP imbued clinoptilolite was placed in the defects created in the tibias of the subjects. Control group defects were left empty. One group was sacrificed on day 28 and the other group on day 56 to evaluate osteogenesis, residual graft material, inflammation and fibrosis. Histological evaluation revealed new bone formation at 28 days to be 14/7 at control group where as its 11/7 for the experimental graft group. At 56 days the values are as 18/7 for control and 14/7 for the experimental graft groups (n = 7). Our study group is the first to perform intrabony application of clinoptilolite. No evidence of abnormal inflammatory cell formation or fibrosis was witnessed in groups. When TCP, which can be used as a standalone graft material, was mixed with zeolite it was not as effective as expected. We believe that, TCP particles are absorbed and captivated in the initial phase and due to absorption strength of zeolite cannot be released back to the environment. We assume its effect can increase with longer time periods. Bone formation without infection is observed around graft particles. Based on the present study, since clinoptilolite does not provoke an inflammatory process, its use in unison with TCP can provide a supporting structure in defects.

Abstract: The production of nano-calcium phosphate, such as HA (hydroxyapatite), materials from synthetic chemicals could sometimes lead to a costly and tedious work. Sea creatures could be an alternative way to produce very fine and even nano-structured calcium phosphate materials. Nacres vastly consist of rich calcium carbonate and/or aragonite mater. With simple conversion methods, like hotplate stirring, various bioceramic structures could be produced suitable for thin film coatings with various methods, like pulsed laser deposition (MAPLE). This study is part of a bigger project which eventually and ultimately aims to produce nano-phases of calcium phosphate biocompatible bioceramics, which can be used for biomedical coatings. In this particular study, we focus at transforming chemically, using hotplate stirring method, local sea snail shells rapana thomasiana. Cleaned sea snail samples were provided from local markets in Istanbul. The shells were smashed down, ball-milled and the powder was sieved (<100 µm powder particles). Differential thermal analysis (DTA/TG) was employed to evaluate the exact CaCO₃ content of the shells. According to these results, the required volume of H₃PO₄ was added in order to set the molar ratio of Ca/P (during hotplate stirring) either 10/6 or 3/2 (these ratios correspond to HA and TCP, respectively). SEM and X-ray diffraction analyses were conducted. The SEM observations showed brick-like particles were formed with sizes <5 µm. From the X-ray diffraction analysis, predominantly monetite, which can be considered as a precursor of HA and TCP, was detected. The results of this study showed that to produce HA and other bioceramic phases, hot-plate stirring method is a reliable, fast, rapid and economic method when compared to other tedious HA production methods. Moreover, sea snail shells are very good candidate materials to produce fine powders with hotplate stirring method for various tissue engineering applications.

Abstract: The regeneration potential of human bone is limited in the cases of repairing large bone defects, such as those associated with comminuted fractures or bone tumor resection. In most cases, autogenous and allogenic bones are used as bone grafts. However, the amount of both of them is severely limited. Nowadays, natural biomaterials are in question, like corals, cuttlefish, and various nacre species, or hydroxyapatite (HA) made from egg shells. The present work aims at preparing inexpensive nano-sized HA and whitlockite particles from various raw materials of natural-biological origin. Razor shells (ensis ensis) were collected from beaches of Thessaloniki in Greece. Each sample was reduced to particle size <100 µm and DTA/TG was employed to determine their exact CaCO₃ content. The suspended raw powders were put on a hotplate. The temperature was set to 80°C for 15 min. Then, equivalent amount of H₃PO₄ was added, drop by drop, into the solution. Different Ca/P ratios were tried. The reaction was ultrasonically assisted and continued for 8h. Then, to evaporate the liquid part, the mixture was put into an incubator at 100°C for 24 h and the resulting dried sediment was collected. The morphology of the produced powders was examined by SEM and revealed nano-sized particles. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated various Ca-phosphate phases, i.e. monetite and calcium phosphate hydrate. Thus, razor shells could be an alternative source for calcium phosphate ceramics production. In this study, long nacre shells were converted to various bioceramic structures with simple ultrasonic method without using hydrothermal method, which is carried out in a close vessel heated in a furnace and could cause accident if the vessel is worn. Chemical ultrasonic method is very safe and reliable method for bioceramic production from aragonite structures.

Abstract: Rough surfaces of denture prosthesis promote adhesion of microorganisms and plaque formation. In dentistry ferric oxide, tin oxide, chrome oxide and pumice are the most commonly used materials for polishing of resins and other materials. Clinoptilolite that is in zeolitic structure resembles to pumice due to alumina silicate formations in its constitution. Surface roughness was evaluated by means of a surface roughness analyzing instrument, Perthometer There were 10 specimens for each acrylic resin and bis-acryl composite resin material and polishing method combination. Conventional lathe polishing with polishing paste served as surface roughness was determined with a profilometer and SEM microscope. ANOVA was applied to the all measurements and was statistically significant (p<0.001). The p-values were calculated using paired t-tests. The materials in order that are most successful at polishing PMMA surface are; clinoptilolite Ra 0,5 > Fe₂O₃ Ra 0,6 > Cr₂O₃ Ra 0,8> pumice Ra 1,2 > SnO₂ Ra 1,6. the surface roughness values for Bis-acryl Composite are as follows: clinoptilolite Ra 0,6 > Fe₂O₃ 0,8 Ra > Cr₂O₃ Ra 0,9 > pumice Ra 1,4 > SnO₂ Ra 1,9. The most successful material for PMMA and Composite resin were clinoptilolite followed by; clinoptilolite, Fe₂O₃, Cr₂O₃, pumice, and SnO₂ in order. The same results were confirmed with the scanning electron microscopic images. Within the light of the present study Clinoptilolite can be an alternative to pumice for polishing of PMMA.

Abstract: Splitting problems at HA-coated implants are generally due to biological reasons. Bond-coatings were used to prevent the splitting problem of zirconia ceramics; this method can be widely seen in industrial applications. Two main groups were used; the first group consisted of spraying a bond layer of titania onto commercially pure titanium. This followed by a spray of HA with 5, 10 and 15 % zirconia (8 % yttria doped) as main layer onto the first bond-coating. For the second group, the samples were coated without bond-coating. Firstly, X-ray diffraction patterns of the starting powders were taken. Then x-ray diffraction patterns of the plasma sprayed samples were taken. In literature, it was seen that 20 % zirconia was sufficient for the transformation into a monoclinic structure for the bond-coated samples. For this study it was found that 10 % zirconia was sufficient to transform to the same structure of the desired crystalline phase transformation. The coating kept its crystal structure and relatively small amount of amorphous transformation was detected. A similar structure was produced using less zirconia. It was thought that the use of titanium-oxide bond-coating layer would play an important role as a third variable in the results. To further investigate these phenomena, more detailed researches must be conducted with using titanium-oxide yittria stabilized zirconia (8 wt %) hydroxyapatite bond-coatings with HA main coatings.

Abstract: Composites of calcinated bovine bone derived hydroxyapatite (HA) with 5 and 10 wt % SrCO3 were prepared by sintering. The production of HA from natural sources is preferred due to money and time saving reasons. In this study scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations and together with measurements of microhardness, density, and compression strength were performed. The experimental results indicated that compression strength and microhardness values of HA-Sr-oxide composites decrease when the content of SrCO3 and sintering temperature increase. The best compression strength values were achieved after sintering at 1000°C. It was seen that at higher temperatures the compression strength and the microhardness values decrease due to the pore formation. The pore formation is very important for scaffold formation for tissue engineering purposes.

Abstract: Composites of calcinated bovine bone derived hydroxyapatite (HA) with 5, 7.5 and 10 wt % B2O3 were prepared by sintering. The production of HA from natural sources is preferred due to economical and time saving reasons. In this study scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations, microhardness and compression strength measurements were performed on composites. The experimental results indicated that compression strength and microhardness of HA-boron-oxide composites decrease when the content of boric acid and sintering temperature increase. The best mechanical properties achieved for 5 wt % addition of dehydrated boric acid. It was seen that at higher sintering temperatures, the compression strength and the microhardness decrease due to the very intensive pore formation. The results agree fairly well with microstructure analysis.

Abstract: Composites of calcinated bovine bone derived hydroxyapatite (BHA) doped with 5 wt% and 10 wt% machineable fluorapatite glass (MFG) were prepared by sintering. Microstructure observations and measurements of density, compression strength and microhardness indicated a positive effect of MFG-doping to BHA. The highest compression strength (59.7 MPa) was achieved after sintering at 1300°C for 5% MFG. In the light of results of earlier similar studies, the paper discusses the features of the potential of BHA-MFG composites in biomedical practice.

Abstract: Recasting of economic alloys can change several properties. The number of recasting was found to have negligible effect on surface texture and on the amount of corrosion products released. The methods and equipments utilized in the casting of an alloy are important on the quality of casting. Carbon incorporated in a noble or economic alloy during casting is known to affect the mechanical values of the metal. In the present study we aimed to investigate the change in structure and metal hardness due to recasting. Materials and method: The effect of recasting, up to four times of a non precious “Finalloy” commercial dental alloy on their Rocwell C hardness behavior and their microstructures was inspected. Using “Kerr casting waxes” patterns were prepared similar to the samples from “Finalloy”. The investments were pre-heated to phase at temperatures between 900°C and 1000°C. The alloy was melted by an acetylene-oxygen flame in a silicate crucible and four groups were compared: New alloy and alloys casted two, three, and four times (n = 7). After casting, Brinell harnesses were recorded. Values of Rocwell C strength, for each specimen group were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance, followed by the Student- Newman-Keuls multiple range test. A metal microscope was used to evaluate the surface morphology of the samples before hardness tests. 1st Casting :30.65 ± 0.3 kgf, 2nd Casting: 31.33 ± 0.4 kgf, 3rd Casting:34.80 ± 0.3 kgf, 4th Casting: 35.5 ± 28 kgf represents the Rocwell hardness of the castings. The results showed that hardness, increased with repeated castings. The experimental data indicates that increasing the number of successive recasting of “Finalloy” enhances the Rocwell C hardness, thus, after remelting and recasting, the biological properties decreases. Microscope study: Increase of the carbon content on the gren bounders of a cobalt-chromium alloy causes a considerable change in its microstructure. The hardness and yield point for 0.05 %, 0.1 % and 0.2 % tensile strength and elongation were determined for these test-pieces. The results showed that hardness, yield points and tensile strength increased with increased carbon content, whereas the elongation lessened. We determined that carbon concentrated at gren bounders. The clinical importance of the study is that recasting affected the properties of the metal, for best biological results with dental alloys always new metals must be used.

Abstract: In this study, 2.5-10 weight % natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) was added into phosphate bonded- investment in consideration of its molecular sieve property. Before casting, thicknesses of specimens were measured in 50 x magnifying stereo microscope. Average surface roughness (Ra) was measured. The first group was assigned as control and no zeolite addition was performed. In the second group, 2.5%, in the third group 5%, in the fourth group 7.5% and in the fifth group 10% zeolite by weight was added to investment powder. According to our study, volumetric increase was determined in each group. The highest increase was observed in the second group with 1.87%. The lowest one was observed in the fifth group with 1.03%. The lowest surface roughness was determined in the second group with 4.41.m. Although surface roughness and volumetric change values demonstrated differences, the change between groups could not reach statistical significance. It can be concluded that zeolite can be added to phosphate-bonded investment in order to decrease surface roughness and dimensional change of casting.