COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT DENTAL IMPLANTS – PART II: EDS MAPPING OF THE ELEMENTAL DISTRIBUTIONS

In this paper, three types of dental alloys often used in practice were investigated, namely: NiCrMoSiVCuFe, NiCrMoSiFeAlMgZn and CuAlNiFeMgZnSi to evaluate the chemical homogeneity. Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Backscattered-Electron (BSE) Imaging were used to obtain valid results on the structure and distribution of constituent elements in the investigated alloys. All samples were investigated in 3 different (micron) areas, respectively: a central area and two marginal areas. The EDS investigations followed the identification of the spectral lines, respectively the irrefutable highlighting of the composition of the sample and, subsequently, the distributions of the identified elements in the specified areas to be compared. The mapping distributions of the elements can reveal local homogeneity/heterogeneity (in bottle heterogeneity) and homogeneity at the sample (implant) level (between bottles heterogeneity). The microstructural inhomogeneity resulting from the formation of compounds in the grain boundaries is primary and determines, therefore, elemental or chemical heterogeneity.