Dental Materials Glossary
105 terms total — 9 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
Sintering
A high-temperature thermal process used to densify and fully crystallise pre-sintered ceramic blanks—particularly zirconia—resulting in final mechanical strength and dimensional accuracy.
UDMA
Urethane dimethacrylate; a low-viscosity bifunctional monomer widely used in dental resin formulations as an alternative...
Veneering Porcelain
A feldspathic or glass ceramic material layered over a structural substructure (metal or ceramic core) to provide aesthe...
Vickers Hardness
A measure of a dental material's resistance to permanent surface indentation, expressed in Vickers Hardness Number (VHN)...
Water Sorption
The uptake of water molecules by a dental material (especially resin-based materials) over time, which can adversely aff...
Wettability
The ability of a liquid—typically a bonding agent or cement—to spread over a solid substrate surface, quantified by cont...
Work Time
The period following the start of mixing a dental material during which the operator can manipulate, place, or adapt it...
Zinc Oxide Eugenol
A dental material formed by mixing zinc oxide powder with eugenol liquid, widely used as a temporary cement, cavity line...
Zinc Phosphate Cement
A traditional dental luting and base material formed by the acid–base reaction of zinc oxide powder with phosphoric acid...
Zirconia
A high-strength ceramic material (zirconium dioxide) widely used in dental prosthetics for crowns, bridges, and implant-...