Biomedical Materials Science

Main Content

Dr. Susana Salazar Marocho – Contributions

With 15 years of experience in dentistry, supplemented by comprehensive graduate studies focusing on Prosthodontics and Dental Materials (from State University of Sao Paulo, UNESP, São José dos Campos in Sao Paulo, Brazil), along with additional clinical training in Implant Dentistry and a fellowship in Biomedical Materials Science (from University of Sao Paulo, USP, Brazil, and UMMC), Dr. Salazar Marocho offers a wealth of expertise in both clinical and research settings.

She has a track record of publishing in top-tier journals and is currently serving as the US expert for the ISO in bond strength testing (2022-Present). Her background enables her to contribute significantly to the advancement of dental materials science, particularly in the areas of material science, restorative dentistry, and implantology.

Dr. Salazar Marocho has extensive experience in the design, testing, and characterization of dental ceramics, polymers, and composite materials, with a focus on enhancing their mechanical properties, durability, and biocompatibility. Her research has explored bonding and debonding mechanisms of ceramics, thermoresponsive polymer development, fracture behavior of dental materials, and long-term performance of implant and restorative materials. Additionally, Dr. Salazar Marocho is investigating the use of biowaste as a sustainable source for the development of novel biomaterials.

At the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Dr. Salazar Marocho teaches 13 different courses totaling over 100 contact hours, including courses in the Biomedical Materials Science department, Care Planning and Restorative Sciences, Advanced General Dentistry, and the Mississippi Center for Clinical and Translational Research. Her teaching excellence has earned institutional teaching awards (2018-2019), a nomination for the 2019 Regions Bank TEACH Prize, and induction into the UMMC Academy for Excellence in Education.

Throughout her journey, she has had the privilege of mentoring and co-mentoring a diverse cohort of 50 students, including undergraduate, dental, visiting Latino scholars, master’s, Ph.D., and high- and middle-school students, with a significant representation of minority individuals. Throughout her career as a Latino/Hispanic Ph.D. in the biomedical research workforce, she has been committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields. Dr. Salazar Marocho leads outreach programs to promote STEM education among K-12 students and serves as a UMMC-certified translator, improving healthcare access for non-English speaking populations. Additionally, she leads a Cultural Awareness seminar series and advises both the Hispanic Dental Association and the SOD Student Research Group. Her mentorship and research have been recognized through awards, including the 2019 ICP Research Grant, the 2019 Ivoclar Vivadent/ICP Research Fellowship, the 2022 AADOCR Procter & Gamble fellowship, and the 2023 Community Bank funding for her ‘Dressing for Science’ outreach program, which supports underrepresented middle schoolers in pursuing STEM careers. Most recently, Dr. Salazar Marocho's research has received support from NIH-NIDCR through an R03 grant.

She actively works to strengthen her leadership and mentoring skills to ensure that her trainees successfully transition into biomedical research careers with the knowledge, experience, and professionalism required for success. As part of this ongoing development, Dr. Salazar Marocho is an alumna of the 2017 ADEA/AAL Faculty of Color Professional Development Program, the 2020 AADR MIND The Future program, and the 2021 GWIMS Leadership Program. These experiences have strengthened her ability to guide the next generation of researchers, and she remains dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusion in science while helping her trainees thrive in their academic and professional journeys.

Contributions to Science

  1. My research is focused on the characterization of the structural properties of standard geometry specimens made of dental ceramics. We have investigated the role of the microstructure in the mechanical behavior of monolayer dental ceramics (publication "a") and the mechanical response of a glass-ceramic coated with resin cement (publication "b"). Our findings indicate that in polycrystalline ceramics, the mechanism responsible for the loss of strength is the combined effect of stress corrosion by water molecules at the crack tip and mechanical degradation. The ceramic-cement specimens exhibited high fracture strength and low structural reliability. Publications "c to d" studied the factors influencing the quality and durability of bonding to glass ceramics. They provide insight into the bond failure mechanism of lithium disilicate and feldspathic ceramics and have contributed to the development of approaches to enhance bonding.

    1. Salazar Marocho, S.M., Studart, A.R., Bottino, M.A. & Della Bona, A. (2010). Mechanical strength and subcritical crack growth under wet cyclic loading of glass-infiltrated dental ceramics. Dental Materials, 26(5), 483-490. DOI: 10.1016/j.dental.2010.01.007. PMID: 20303160
    2. Salazar Marocho, S.M., Cesar, P.F., Griggs, J.A., & Bottino, M.A. (2022). Fracture load of layered glass-ceramic structures. Strength in Materials, 54(3), 515-524. DOI: 10.1007/s11223-022-00426-y
    3. Marocho, S.M., Ozcan, M., Amaral, R., Bottino, M.A. & Valandro, L.F. (2013). Effect of resin cement type on the microtensile bond strength to lithium disilicate ceramic and dentin using different test assemblies. Journal of Adhesive Dentistry, 15(4), 361-368. DOI: 10.3290/j.jad.a28624. PMID: 23534013
    4. Marocho, S.M., Ozcan, M., Amaral, R., Valandro, L.F. & Bottino, M.A. (2013). Effect of seating forces on cement-ceramic adhesion in microtensile bond tests. Clinical Oral Investigations (Print), 17(1), 325-331. DOI: 10.1007/s00784-011-0668-y. Epub 2012 Jan 13. PMID: 22237990

  2. My research colleagues and I have authored two book chapters for different books. The first publication ("a") focuses on zirconia as a promising alternative for restoring primary teeth and addresses emerging concerns regarding wear on the opposing dentition in the pediatric population. This chapter covers various aspects of zirconia ceramics including microstructure, mechanical properties, biocompatibility, thermal expansion, heat conductivity, and indications for use. The second publication ("b") offers a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of zirconia’s applications in dentistry. It delves into the composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of zirconia. Additionally, it discusses topics such as the causes of chipping in dental porcelains applied over Y-TZP structures, innovations in translucent zirconia, the effects of aging on zirconia in the oral cavity, and the advantages and disadvantages of zirconia implants compared to titanium implants. I was invited to contribute to the latter chapter by my postdoctoral mentor, collaborating with colleagues who share the similar research interests.

    1. Salazar Marocho SM. "Materiales Estéticos para Restauraciones en Dentición Primaria" (Esthetic Materials for Primary Teeth Restorations), in Problemas Bucales En Odontopediatría: Uniendo La Evidencia a La Práctica Clínica (Dental Problems In Pediatric Dentistry: Bridging the Evidence to Clinical Practice). (2014). Bonecker M, Ripano S.A., 1st ed., 155-168. Published in Spanish and Portuguese. ISBN-13: 978-849-4260-12-4.
    2. Salazar Marocho SM. Zirconia in Dentistry, in From Materials towards Medical Devices: Biomaterials and Bioengineered Device Research for Dental Applications. World Scientific Publishing Company Series. (2019) Sacher E. 1st ed. 147-167. Published in English. ISBN: 978-981-3225-67-1.

  3. One of the most recent focuses of my research has been the failure analysis of fractured ceramics. Utilizing fractographic techniques, I have examined both in vitro and clinically fractured ceramic structures to ascertain the origin of failure and identify the factors limiting the structure's lifetime. In publications "a" and "b", my team and I provided comprehensive characterizations of in-service zirconia restorations and analyzed fractured surfaces in glass-ceramic and polymer crowns, respectively. In publication "b", replicas were used to conduct fractal analysis of clinically failed zirconia implants. The findings revealed that the fractal dimension (D) of any region of the fracture surface yielded a consistent D value, indicating that any part of the fracture surface along the direction of crack propagation can be utilized for fractal analysis.

    1. Salazar Marocho, S.M., Vanlandingham, M.B., Mourad, F., Pappa, A., & Koka, S. (2021). Laboratory characterization of in-service full-mouth rehabilitation with monolithic translucent zirconia restorations. symmetry. 13(9):1755. DOI: 10.3390/sym13091755
    2. Campos, R.E., Soares, C.J., Quagliatto, P.S., Soares, P.V., de Oiveira, O.B. Jr., Santos-Filho, P.C. & Salazar-Marocho, S.M. (2011). In vitro study of fracture load and fracture pattern of ceramic crowns: a finite element and fractography analysis. Journal of Prosthodontics. 20(6), 447-455. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-849X.2011.00744.x. PMID: 21843228
    3. Jodha, K.S., Salazar Marocho, S.M., Scherrer, S.S. & Griggs J.A. (2020). Fractal analysis at varying locations of clinically failed zirconia dental implants. Dental Materials, 36(8):1052-1058. DOI: 10.1016/j.dental.2020.04.021. Epub 2020 May 30. PMID: 32487485; PMCID: PMC9348863

  4. I have delved into gaining a deeper understanding of the design and bonding behavior of dental ceramics. I was awarded extramural small funding from the International College of Prosthodontics to investigate the effect of cold plasma (piezobrush® PZ2, Relyon Plasma) on the bonding of opaque zirconia restorations. In manuscript (a), my research team and I found that cold plasma does not enhance but rather maintains similar retention compared to tribochemically silica-coated zirconia crowns and occlusal veneers. Concurrently, we have explored laser irradiation as a potential method to debond opaque and translucent zirconia restorations in cases of esthetic, functional, or mechanical issues. The outcomes of these studies provide insights into laser debonding mechanisms and the degradation of adhesive interfaces in resin-bonded ceramic structures. Collectively, these studies ("c to f") have the potential to shift the conventional invasive approach to debonding restorations towards a more conservative, less detrimental, and predictable method, enhancing comfort for patients and dentists.

    1. Salazar Marocho, S.M., Contreras, L.P., & Griggs, J.A (2023). Cold active plasma for bonding of monolithic zirconia restorations. In preparation for submission
    2. Raymond, H., Corby, L., & Salazar Marocho, S.M. (2021). Thermal changes following Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation through a translucent zirconia. Journal of Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology. 1(1). DOI: 10.54289/JDOE2100102
    3. Jauregui Ulloa JT & Salazar Marocho SM. (2022). Bonding and debonding of zirconia using laser approaches. The International Journal of Prosthodontics. 35(4):530-544. DOI: 10.11607/ijp.7991. PMID: 36125876
    4. Jauregui-Ulloa JT, Hawkins NW, Lirette ST, Ward TJ, & Salazar Marocho SM. (2024). Effect of Low-Power Laser Irradiation on the Shear Bond Strength and Thermal Changes Across Different Zirconia Thicknesses Using Different Irradiation Times. The International Journal of Prosthodontics. 27;37(5):187-199. DOI: 10.11607/ijp.8510. PMID: 37988419.

Complete List of Published Work in MyBibliography: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/susana%20maria.salazar%20marocho.1/bibliography/public/