| Ag-Pd dental casting alloys have been used as alternatives to high gold alloys in restorative dentistry since the 1980s. These alloys exhibited mechanical properties superior to gold alloys and excellent adherence to porcelain in porcelain fused to metal (PFM) restorations, such as dental crowns. However, later increases in the price of palladium along with concerns regarding possible allergic reactions and palladium's cytotoxicity have limited the use of these alloys.{09}Evaluation of the biocompatibility concern requires a better understanding of the interaction of Ag-Pd alloys with the oral environment, and the cost problem would be lessened if the palladium content could be reduced without lowering the corrosion resistance. Previous studies have shown differences in the corrosion behavior between Pd-rich and Ag-rich alloys, but the mechanisms of the two behaviors are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize the electrochemical behavior of binary Ag-Pd alloys under conditions simulating the exposure in the oral cavity. Electrochemical measurements, surface and solution analysis were performed with alloy composition, electrolyte composition, and exposure time as variables. Results showed the corrosion behavior for all alloys was governed by the formation of an insoluble thiocyanate salt combined with selective dissolution of Ag for the Pd-rich alloys. The tendency to form thiocyanate was found to dominate over the tendency to form chloride, the formation of which was suggested in other studies. The electrode behavior has been explained on the basis of the theory of behavior of electrodes of the second kind. The difference in behavior of Ag-rich and Pd-rich alloys has been related to the difference in the solubility of the salts and difference in bonding of thiocyanate with Pd and Ag. |
