This Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award is intended to provide Dr. Josephine Esquivel-Upshaw an opportunity to engage in clinical research aimed at analyzing the influence of materials science parameters and biomechanical factors that control the survival of implant-supported all-ceramic prostheses. Dr. Esquivel has been involved in ceramics research since her Prosthodontic residency at Northwestern University and has continued with laboratory and clinical ceramic research as part of an NIDCR minority supplement grant and an industry supported grant. The proposed research project will be conducted at the University of Florida College of Dentistry, Graduate Prosthodontic Clinic under the mentorship of Dr. Kenneth J. Anusavice. Dr. Esquivel-Upshaw's immediate career goal includes expanding her materials science knowledge in ceramics to enable her to conduct clinically relevant research projects with a sound materials background. Her long term career goal includes continuing her academic career as a faculty member in the Department of Prosthodontics at the University of Florida and being able to competitively apply for an independent federally funded award to eventually become a respected clinical scientist. The research career development plan includes enrollment in courses that will enhance Dr. Esquivel-Upshaw's ceramics and research background to an advanced level. These courses will include fractography, ceramic microstructure, surface analytical methods and the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy. Other formal courses will also offer instruction on legal and ethical issues of clinical research, epidemiology, biostatistics and grant writing. The research project involves analysis of fracture toughness, elastic modulus, core thickness, connector height, wear, and maximum clenching force on implant-supported all-ceramic prosthesis and their effect on the design and survival of these prostheses. The relevance of this research to public health is that it will enable clinical predictions and confirmation by clinical research findings to provide reliable biomechanics guidelines for the design and application of all-ceramic prostheses. Such information is essential to inform the dental community of the influence of critically important variables on, fracture resistance and enamel wear, the indications and contraindications for use, and optimal methods of fabrication.
