News

Fatigue Resistance of 3-Unit CAD-CAM Ceramic Fixed Partial Dentures: An FEA Study

Now online in the Journal of Prosthodontics, a report of a finite element analysis (FEA) study to estimate the fatigue life of 3-unit fixed partial dentures (FPDs) made from two different monolithic ceramic systems, zirconia cercon (ZC) and lithium disilicate (LD).

All-ceramic full-contour systems have been used successfully, however, they are vulnerable to fracture, marginal adaptation, technique sensitivity, and excessive wear of the opposing dentition.

In order to overcome these problems, several CAD-CAM monolithic ceramic systems have been developed. They offer extra strength and are more structurally homogenous, improving the retention and longevity of the restorations.

The authors chose an FEA method to evaluate fatigue resistance as it offers a reliable approach to avoid extensive testing at the initial stages of development and the fatigue life of new dental restorative materials under masticatory forces can be simulated. The effect of the connector size was also investigated.

Two models for the FPDs were built, a 3-unit all-ceramic and a porcelain-fused-to-metal (control).

The failure location for the monolithic FPD was always located at the distal connector. Connector size played a key role in determining the long-term survival of the prosthesis. The FPDs made of ZC have superior fatigue performance compared to those made of LD and their survival rates are comparable to porcelain-fused-to-metal. A significant reduction in fatigue strength is predicted for reduced connector size and the authors recommend establishing general guidelines for minimum connector size.

Bataineh K, Al Janaideh M, Abu-Naba'a LA: Fatigue resistance of 3-unit CAD-CAM ceramic fixed partial dentures: an FEA study. J Prosthodont 2022; https://doi.org/10.1111/jopr.13487

Previous Next

Back to News