Development of artificial ceramic teeth for simulation training of cavity preparations

Abstract

Many of the artificial teeth developed for simulation training of cavity preparation do not reproduce the same sensations the operator experiences when preparing natural teeth with an air turbine hand-piece. We investigated the sensations produced with several artificicial teeth and evaluated a new ceramic for use as an artificial tooth material. We measured the three-dimensional cutting forces during cavity preparation and the speed required to cut the test pieces with a constant cutting force. The new ceramic tooth was found suitable for simulation training.