Video Transcript
Which of the following period four elements is most commonly used in the production
of dental implants? (A) Scandium, (B) vanadium, (C) zinc, (D) manganese, (E) titanium.
Let’s use the following chart to keep track of the properties and common uses of
these five period four metals. First of all, scandium metal is rare, tarnishes easily, and reacts with water, making
it a poor choice for dental implants. However, scandium–aluminum alloys are lightweight, hard, strong, resist corrosion,
and are used to build aircraft.
Vanadium is added to alloys to make them more hardenable, which means it increases an
alloy’s hardness and makes it more resistant to deformation. On the other hand, vanadium oxide compounds are used in ceramics and glass, and are
used as catalysts and dyes.
Zinc is a fairly abundant element in Earth’s crust, and one of its most common uses
is in the galvanization of other metals to prevent their corrosion. Zinc is also frequently used in batteries.
One of the most important uses of manganese is in the manganese–iron alloy
ferromanganese, which is used as an additive in steel. Some of the common uses of manganese compounds include alkaline batteries and
disinfectants.
Titanium dioxide is used in sunblock because it can block ultraviolet rays from the
sun. A major use of titanium is in titanium–aluminum alloys, which are used to build
aircraft and spacecraft. Finally, titanium metal and its alloys are used in prosthetics and dental
implants. These materials are used in dentistry because they resist corrosion, are unreactive
and therefore nontoxic, and they are strong and inexpensive.
In conclusion, the period four element that is most commonly used in the production
of dental implants is titanium, or answer choice (E).
