| 摘要 |
<p>Components of a dental brace including arch wires and brackets are coated with a hard, wear resistant material that has a low coefficient of friction. The aesthetically pleasing coating encapsulates the substrate material preventing the release of toxins from the substrate material that would otherwise occur due to wear, galling or corrosion. The coating includes a first layer of a metal which is preferably Titanium, Zirconium or Hafnium, a second layer that is preferably a Nitride of the metal used in the first layer and a third layer that is preferably a Nitride of the metal used in the first layer and has approximately two metal atoms for every Nitrogen atom. The coating is preferably applied using a physical vapor deposition source such as a cathodic arc source with a controlled gas atmosphere.</p> |
