EN ISO 13078-2:2016 PDF

Overview

EN ISO 13078-2:2016 - Dentistry: Dental furnace - Part 2 - is a standardized visual test method for evaluating and adapting the firing programme of dental furnaces by assessing the firing glaze (degree of firing) of dental ceramic test specimens. The method is intended for powdered dental ceramics (Type I) in accordance with ISO 6872 and supports monitoring of furnace temperature control, reproducibility of firings and comparison between furnaces. The standard complements temperature-measurement methods (see ISO 13078) and addresses the practical need to achieve consistent aesthetic and mechanical properties in ceramic dental restorations.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Purpose: Define a user-implementable degree of firing to adjust furnace programmes and to evaluate firing reproducibility and comparability.
• Scope of materials: Powdered dental ceramics (Type I per ISO 6872); transparent or coloured powders suitable for visual comparison.
• Specimen preparation: Use of a dedicated device (impact cylinder, stamps, plastic mould) and identical preparation for test and reference specimens to ensure consistent comparison.
• Auxiliary materials: Mixing liquids (e.g., alcohol or laboratory water per ISO 3696), firing trays, firing pins, and firing underlays (firing cotton or platinum foil with an alumina coating where applicable).
• Firing procedure: Implementation according to the ceramic manufacturer’s firing data and the furnace programme under test; the standard allows adaptation of the furnace programme based on evaluation results.
• Degree of firing classification: Visual assessment categories - under-fired, correctly fired, and over-fired - based on surface quality, translucency/colour, porosity and edge rounding.
• Evaluation and correction: Procedures to evaluate firing results and apply corrections to the furnace programme; suitable for routine monitoring and validation.
• Documentation: Test report requirements are specified to record procedures, observations and any programme adjustments.

Applications and Users

• Dental laboratories validating and calibrating firing cycles to ensure consistent aesthetics (colour, translucency) and mechanical properties.
• Dental ceramic manufacturers providing reference samples and firing recommendations.
• Dental furnace manufacturers and service technicians verifying temperature control and reproducibility across units.
• Quality managers and regulatory/standards professionals assessing compliance and device comparability.
• Research labs comparing firing behaviour between ceramic formulations or furnace models.

Related Standards

• ISO 13078 - Test method for temperature measurement with separate thermocouple (complements furnace evaluation).
• ISO 6872 - Dental ceramics - material classifications (Type I referenced).
• ISO 3696 - Water for analytical laboratory use - specification and test methods.
• ISO 2768-1 - General tolerances (used for device dimensions where applicable).

Keywords: EN ISO 13078-2:2016, dental furnace, firing glaze, test method, degree of firing, dental ceramic, ISO 6872, temperature control, reproducibility, firing programme.