This work investigates the correlation between the in-vitro wear resistance and the nanomechanical properties of dental sealants commercially available. Mechanical properties, namely hardness (H) and elastic modulus (E), were assessed by nanoindentation technique. The coated samples presented lower H and E values than the Z250 composite resin substrate. Such measurements were used to calculate H/E ratios. Wear tests were carried out in water by using a pin-on-plate apparatus. Scars formed on the samples were qualitatively examined by optical microscopy, while their wear depths were measured by contact profilometry. Based on the findings, an empirical correlation between the wear depths and H/E was obtained. A high H/E ratio was associated to surfaces with enhanced wear resistance. For the tribological conditions here employed, the H/E ratio could be, therefore, considered a useful parameter for ranking the in-vitro wear of dental sealants.

Osteoblast adhesion on metallic titanium coated with anodic films was evaluated. The anodic oxidation treatment was carried out on commercially pure-titanium (cp-Ti) substrate under the following conditions: 1.0M H2SO4/150V and 1.0M Na2SO4/100V. Osteoblast cells were cultured onto the samples for 4 hours. The morphologies of both Ti anodic films and cells were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The oxide films are rough with porous structure. Statistical differences in average surface roughness (Ra) values are found among both anodic films and substrate (abraded cp-Ti), measured by contact profilometry. The oxide films prepared in H2SO4 had greater contact angle, whereas there is no statistical significance between the values for the Ti anodic films produced in Na2SO4 and the substrate surface. Despite the some differences in morphology, roughness and contact angle between the treated and non-treated samples, cell morphologies were similar on all surfaces after 4h of culture. Further, was not clearly observed a correlation between the surface characteristics with cell behavior.