MAJOR AREAS 

Influence of Resin Matrix Chemistry and Filler Composition on the Fracture, Wear, Shrinkage, Fatigue and Clinical Performance of Dental Composites

Factors Affecting the Quantity and Rate of Mercury Release from Dental Amalgams and the Development of Formulations with Reduced Mercury Release

Infrared Spectroscopy for the Evaluation of Dental Composites and the Interaction Between Resin Bonding Agents and the Dentin Substrate

Evaluation of the Release of Fluoride from Dentin Adhesives, the Uptake by Tooth Structure, and the Effect on Enamel/Dentin Demineralization in Comparison to Glass Ionomer Restoratives
 

July 1983 - December 1988
Associate Professor (Asst. Prof. August 1983 - July 1987)
Department of Dental Materials
Baylor College of Dentistry
3302 Gaston Avenue
Dallas, TX   75246
 

• Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, September 1980 - July 1983
Doctor of Philosophy, Biological Materials
Dissertation:  Correlation of Physical Properties to Degree of Conversion in Unfilled Bis-GMA Resins
 
• Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, September 1978 - August 1980
Master of Science, Biological Materials
Thesis:  The Rheology of Acrylic Bone Cements - A Comparative Study Involving Capillary and Rotational Viscometry
 
• University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, August 1975 - May 1978
Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences
Minor field of study: Bioengineering

DURABILITY OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Our research has two main focuses in the study of the materials used in dentistry to repair or replace tissues. The first relates to the optimization of the composition of tooth colored composite materials for posterior teeth. We are investigating the relationship between the chemical composition and the physical properties of these materials, and attempting to develop in vitro testing modalities that can be used as accurate and precise predictors of clinical performance. We are also trying to understand  the factors that influence polymerization contraction stress in these materials  and its relationship to clinical outcomes.

A five year project, done in collaboration with Drs. Jack Mitchem and Robert Todd and Mr. John Condon, clinically evaluates the performance as well as the mechanism of failure for these materials. Experimental composites are placed in the molar teeth of full-mouth denture patients as a test vehicle. The study includes the in vitro testing of fracture properties and composite stability as a function of time, composition and degree of cure. The worn composites are biopsied at the end of the study for infrared analysis to determine the nature of the chemical changes that may have taken place during service. Scanning electron microscopic evaluations of replicas of the restorations are used to quantitate material loss via wear and chipping at various time intervals.

The second topic is the quantitation of mercury release from dental silver fillings (amalgams) and the determination of the factors that influence its occurrence both in vitro and in vivo. We are attempting to develop new dental amalgams with reduced mercury release. These studies encompass the dissolution and evaporation of mercury from experimental amalgams designed to have less mercury release than current commercial materials. The gold film mercury analyzer is used to assess the release of mercury under various environmental conditions. The scanning electron microprobe is used to provide a full and accurate assessment of the structure and composition of each amalgam in order to test hypotheses concerning composition and mercury release.

BOOKS

Materials in Dentistry:  Principles and Applications.  J.B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, PA, 1995, 360 pages.
 

ARTICLES

Ferracane JL, Berge HX, Condon JR.  In Vitro aging of dental composites in water - effect of degree of conversion, filler volume and filler/matrix coupling, J Biomed Mater Res, in press.

Ferracane JL, Mitchem JC, Adey JD.  Fluoride Penetration Into the Hybrid Layer from a Dentin Adhesive, Amer J Dent, 11:23-28, 1998.

Ferracane JL, Mitchem JC, Condon JR, Todd R.  Wear and Marginal Breakdown of Composite with Varied Degree of Cure, J Dent Res, 76:1508-1516, 1997.

Condon JR, Ferracane JL.  Factors Effecting Dental Composite Wear In Vitro, J Biomed Mater Res (Appl Biomater) 38:303-313, 1997.

Fujishima A, Ferracane JL. Comparison of Four Modes of Fracture Toughness Testing for Dental Composites.  Dent Mater 12:38-43, 1996.

Condon JR, Ferracane JL. Evaluation of Composite Wear with a New Multi-mode Oral Wear Simulator.  Dent Mater, 12:218-226, 1996.

Ferracane, J.L.:  Current Trends in Dental Composites.  Critical Reviews in Oral Biology and Medicine, 6(4):302-318, 1995.

Ferracane, J.L.;  Adey, J.D.; Nakajima, H.; and Okabe, T.:  Mercury Vaporization from Amalgams with Varied Alloy Compositions.  J of Dental Research, 74(7):1414-1417, 1995.