Effect of preparation design and endodontic access on fracture resistance of zirconia overlays in mandibular molars: An in vitro study

PURPOSE

To evaluate the fracture resistance of zirconia overlays, considering various preparation designs and the presence of endodontic access.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ninety translucent zirconia (5Y-PSZ) overlay restorations were divided into six groups (n = 15/group) based on different preparation designs, with and without endodontic access: chamfer margin 4 mm above the gingival level without (group 1) and with endodontic access (group 2); margin 2 mm above the gingival level without (group 3) and with endodontic access (group 4); overlay with no chamfer margin without (group 5) and with endodontic access (group 6). Restorations were bonded to mandibular first molar resin dies, and the groups with endodontic access were sealed with flowable resin composite. All restorations underwent 100,000 cycles of thermal cycling between 5°C and 55°C, followed by loading until fracture. Maximum load and fracture resistance were recorded. ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc tests were used for statistical comparison (α < 0.05).

RESULTS

Fracture resistance significantly varied among overlay designs with and without endodontic access (p < 0.001), except for the no-margin overlays (groups 5 and 6). Overlays with a 2 mm margin above the gingival margin with endodontic access (group 4) exhibited significantly higher fracture resistance compared to both the 4-mm supragingival (group 2) and no-margin (group 6) designs, even when compared to their respective intact groups (groups 1 and 5). There were no significant differences between the no-margin and 4-mm supragingival overlays.

CONCLUSION

The more extensive zirconia overlay for mandibular molars is the first choice since the 2 mm margin above the gingival level design withstood considerable loads even after undergoing endodontic access. A no-margin overlay is preferred over the 4-mm supragingival design as it preserves more tooth structure and there was no outcome difference, irrespective of endodontic access. Caution is warranted in interpreting these findings due to the in vitro nature of the study.

Fracture resistance of chairside CAD-CAM lithium disilicate occlusal veneer with various designs after mechanical aging

PURPOSE

This study evaluated the fracture resistance of chairside computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) lithium disilicate crown, onlay, and non-anatomical occlusal veneer (A-OV) with and without margin fabricated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-four CAD-CAM lithium disilicate restorations were designed as (1) complete coverage crown (CCC); (2) A-OV with margin; (3) non-A-OV with margin (NA-OV-M); and (4) non-A-OV without margin (NA-OV-NM), 16 of each. Restorations were crystallized and adhesively luted to resin dies using resin cement. Specimens were then subjected to 400,000 cycles of chewing in a mastication simulator. A universal testing machine was used to apply a compressive load at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min to the long axis of the tooth with a stainless-steel sphere until fracture occurred. One-way ANOVA followed by post hoc tests were used to assess the impact of preparation design on the fracture load of CAD-CAM lithium disilicate restorations.

RESULTS

The highest fracture load was recorded for CAD-CAM lithium disilicate indirect restorations for non-A-OVs preparation with margin (2549 ± 428 N) and onlay (2549 ± 293 N) and the lowest fracture load was recorded for CCCs (2389 ± 428 N); however, there was no significant (p = 0.640) between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

CAD-CAM lithium disilicate restorations fabricated for anatomical and non-A-OV preparation display a fracture resistance similar to CCCs. Conservative partial coverage restorations may be considered an acceptable approach for posterior teeth.

Evaluation of Fracture Resistance of Occlusal Veneers Made of Different Types of Materials Depending on Their Thickness

Pathological tooth wear is an escalating social problem. Occlusal veneers can be an alternative to traditional prosthetic restorations such as crowns, inlays, and onlays.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to assess the fracture resistance of occlusal veneers made of various materials depending on their thickness.

METHODS

In total, 120 occlusal veneers were examined. The restorations were made of four ceramics: leucite LC (IPS Empress Esthetic), hybrid HC (Vita Enamic), lithium disilicate LDC (IPS e.max Press), and zirconium oxide ZOC (Ceramill Zolid HT). A total of 30 veneers were made of each material, 10 for each of the three thicknesses: 1 mm, 1.5 mm, 2 mm. The restorations were cemented on identical abutments duplicated from the developed phantom tooth 35 (KaVo) with composite cement (All Bond Universal). The samples prepared in this way were subjected to a compressive strength test in a universal testing machine. Statistical analysis of the results was performed.

RESULTS

The average fracture resistance of occlusal veneers made of zirconium oxide ceramic was 1086-1640 N, of lithium disilicate ceramics 456-1044 N, of hybrid ceramics 449-576 N, and of leucite ceramics 257-499 N.

CONCLUSIONS

Occlusal veneers made of ceramics, zirconium oxide and lithium disilicate, had the highest resistance to fractures. Restorations made of leucite ceramics turned out to be the least resistant to forces. The greater the thickness of the ceramic occlusal veneers, the greater their fracture resistance.

Surface Properties and Wear Resistance of Injectable and Computer-Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing-Milled Resin Composite Thin Occlusal Veneers

OBJECTIVES

 This study was conducted to investigate the microhardness, surface roughness (Ra), and wear behavior of thin occlusal veneers (TOV) fabricated from different injectable composite materials and compare them to a Computer-Aided Design (CAD)/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) resin-based material.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 A 1-mm occusal veneer preparation was done in a mandibular right second molar typodont tooth. The prepared model was duplicated to fabricate 32 replicas and divided into four groups (n = 8). Standard TOV were fabricated either indirectly from Cerasmart blocks, Cerasmart, GC (CS), or directly from Beautifil Injectable X, Shofu (BF), G-ænial Universal injectable, GC (GU), or SonicFill 2, Kerr (SF) using the injection molding technique. All the specimens were subjected to both thermomechanical cyclic loading (TMC) in a chewing simulator. Wear measurement was conducted by three-dimensional (3D) scanning of the veneered models before and after TMC, and the difference in the volume of the sample was recorded as the volumetric material loss due to wear. Ra before and after TMC and Vickers microhardness (VHN) of the tested materials were measured using standardized samples (n = 8). Representative samples from each group were investigated under a stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

 One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to detect the effect of material on VHN and wear. Two-way ANOVA was utilized to examine the impact of material and TMC on Ra. Multiple comparisons between the groups were conducted using Tukey's post hoc test (α = 0.05). The Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between hardness and wear and between roughness and wear (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

 CS exhibited the highest mean VHN (p ≤ 0.001), followed by GU and SF which were statistically similar (p = 0.883) but significantly higher than BF (p < 0.001). After TMC, GU revealed the lowest Ra and volumetric wear (VW), followed by CS, BF, and SF (p < 0.5). A highly significant correlation existed between Ra and VW (p = 0.001, R 2 = 0.9803).

CONCLUSION

 The effect of TMC on the surface properties and wear resistance of the investigated TOV is material-dependent. GU injectable TOV are less influenced by TMC than CS milled TOV. In contrast, BF and SF demonstrated significant VW and Ra which might limit their clinical use as TOV.

Effect of thickness and CAD-CAM material on fatigue resistance of endodontically treated molars restored with occlusal veneers

PURPOSE

To evaluate the influence of the thickness and type of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) material on the fatigue resistance and failure mode of endodontically treated teeth (ETT) restored with occlusal veneers (OV).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seventy-five (N = 75) ETT were restored with Herculite XRV in the endodontic access. Five experimental groups (n = 15) were tested. Four groups had two different thicknesses (0.6-0.7 mm or 1.4-1.6 mm) and two different CAD-CAM materials: zirconia-reinforced lithium-silicate (LS/Celtra Duo) and composite resin (RC/Cerasmart). The fifth group (control) did not have occlusal veneers. All the specimens were subjected to accelerated fatigue (5 Hz frequency) with an occlusal load increasing up to 1800 N and 131,000 cycles. The number of cycles was recorded when the machine stopped or at the completion of the test. Fatigue resistance was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier survival test (95% significance level, log-rank post hoc pairwise comparisons). The samples were categorized according to failure mode. The CAD-CAM materials were examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).

RESULTS

No differences were found between the thicknesses, regardless of the type of the CAD-CAM material. The thick LS OV outperformed the RC and control groups. The thin RC OV and control groups showed a higher percentage of repairable and possibly repairable failures than the other groups. LS was more homogeneous under SEM, and the EDS analysis detected Si and Zr, but not Li.

CONCLUSIONS

A larger thickness did not improve the resistance of the CAD-CAM materials. Thick LS showed a higher cumulative survival rate to fatigue than the RC and control groups. The direct composite alone (control) survived similarly to the experimental groups, except for the thick LS.

The Biological Activity of Fragmented Computer-Aided Design/Manufacturing Dental Materials before and after Exposure to Acidic Environment

Three ceramic and composite computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) materials from different manufacturers (Cerasmart (CS)-nanoceramic resin; Straumann Nice (SN)-glass ceramic and Tetric CAD (TC)-composite resin) were tested to investigate the biocompatibility and sustainability on human fibroblasts and keratinocytes cells. Each type of CAD/CAM blocks restorative materials with fine and rough surfaces was exposed to an acidic environment for one month. After that, various powders were obtained by milling. In parallel, powders were also prepared from each restorative material, which were not exposed to the acidic environment. The cytotoxic effects were investigated by means of MTT and LDH assays, as well as nitric oxide production on two human normal cell lines, namely, fibroblasts (BJ) and keratinocytes (HaCaT). In addition, the degree of adhesion of fibroblast cells to each CAD/CAM material was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the two samples that were exposed to an acidic environment (CS and SN) induced a reduction of mitochondrial activity and plasma membrane damage as regards the fibroblast cells. A similar effect was observed in TC_fine-exposed material, which seemed to induce necrosis at the tested concentration of 1 mg/mL. No oxidative stress was observed in fibroblasts and keratinocytes treated with the CAD/CAM materials. Regarding the adhesion degree, it was found that the fibroblasts adhere to all the occlusal veneers tested, with the mention that the CS and SN materials have a weaker adhesion with fewer cytoplasmic extensions than TC material. With all of this considered, the CAD/CAM restorative materials tested are biocompatible and represent support for the attachment and dispersion of cells.

Effect of preparation design on marginal adaptation and fracture strength of ceramic occlusal veneers: A systematic review

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review aims to investigate the effect of different preparation designs on the marginal fit and fracture strength of ceramic occlusal veneers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Based on the PICO question and the search terms, an electronic search was performed in Google Scholar, PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Science Direct, Wiley, Ovid, and SAGE for articles published up to July 2022. After including English in vitro studies that evaluated posterior ceramic occlusal overlays at the posterior with ceramic restorations by following the PRISMA statement, the extracted data was tabulated. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated. Risk of bias assessment was done independently by two authors using the modified MINORS scale.

RESULTS

About 3138 search results were screened, of which 22 were selected due to their titles. Twenty-one full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Seventeen in-vitro studies were finalized for the extraction of quantitative data. All 17 articles had a low risk of bias and were retained. The influencing items for evaluating the research were different in most studies; therefore, qualitative synthesis of the results was feasible. They generally included preparation design, material thickness, depth of preparation in the tooth, internal divergence angle, and finish line. Meta-analysis was not done due to heterogeneity of preparation types and evaluation methods. Results revealed that fracture resistance of occlusal veneers is higher than normal mastication force, and it is sufficient to prepare the occlusal surface, use a self-etching primer for bonding, and an acceptable minimum ceramic thickness. The marginal discrepancy of occlusal veneers is clinically acceptable. However, this systematic review faces some limitations due to the lack of in vivo studies, different preparation designs in included studies, different follow-ups, and lack of comprehensive explanations in articles.

CONCLUSIONS

The preparation design of occlusal veneers influences both marginal adaptation and fracture resistance. Various preparation designs are proven to have clinically acceptable fracture strength and marginal adaptation.

Influence of preparation designs on marginal adaptation and failure load of full-coverage occlusal veneers after thermomechanical aging simulation

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the fracture resistance and marginal quality of maxillary molars restored using lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (LDG) occlusal veneers with two preparation designs.

METHODS

Sixteen extracted maxillary molars were assigned to two groups (n = 8). In group 1 (G1), the teeth received a preparation for a conservative full-coverage occlusal veneer restoration with a 90° rounded shoulder margin. In group 2 (G2), the teeth underwent a 1-mm cusp reduction with a marginal chamfer. LDG restorations (IPS e.max CAD) were obtained with the Cerec 3 CAD/CAM system and luted with Variolink II cement. After thermomechanical aging (1 250 000 cycles), the specimens were loaded to fracture. A semiquantitative marginal seal evaluation was performed observing resin replicas of the specimens at the scanning electron microscope. Cement thickness was assessed at the stereomicroscope on sectioned specimens. Collected data were statistically analyzed by parametric and nonparametric tests.

RESULTS

The maximum load to fracture was 2395.01 ± 150.96 N in G1 and 2408.39 ± 112.66 N in G2. Most of the observed specimens exhibited restorable fractures and continuous margins. Cement thickness was 132 ± 38 μm in G1 and 150 ± 41 μm in G2. No differences between the groups emerged.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated similar satisfactory performance of the two considered preparations designs for occlusal veneer with LDG.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

A new minimally invasive occlusal veneer preparation with marginal chamfer exhibited promising fracture resistance and marginal adaptation that were comparable to those of a standard conservative preparation for the restoration of molars with CAD/CAM lithium disilicate occlusal veneers.