Papers by Keyword: Dental Crown

Abstract: There is a growing demand in the dental implant sector which aims to recreate the exact function and appearance of natural teeth, including strength, textures, and seamless blending with nearby teeth. Therefore, choosing the best crown material is a vital and challenging decision. To address this challenge, current study employs a comprehensive approach using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) on a 3-D CAD model. The stress analysis was carried out on three different crown materials - commercially pure Titanium (cp Ti), Zirconia (ZR), and Lithium Disilicate (LD) and compared their performance with that of human tooth material. The computational analysis results reveal that the pure Titanium (cp Ti) crown has shown the least deformation while the LD crown has showed the highest deformation under same loading conditions. When maximum stress is compared, Titanium showed the highest value, followed by Zirconia, whereas Lithium Disilicate (LD) demonstrated stress and deformation levels comparable to those of natural teeth.

Abstract: Dental restorations are currently produced mainly by conventional dental technology methods. The automation of the manufacturing process can be achieved by the use of CAD/CAM technology. Basic research on the most important aspects of CAD/CAM fixed dental restorations from the viewpoint of production, information technology, and dentistry/dental technology are the subject of a current article. The aim of this article is practical using of computer aided technologies such as 3D scanning and 5-axis machining for designing and fabrication of dental restorations. It further explains the detailed process of acquiring a digital description of tooth’s shape and its subsequent modification. Attention is drawn to a detailed analysis of dental restorations’ design obtained from a digital description of a tooth in Cercon Art software. The last part of this paper concentrates on the fabrication of dental restorations, which took place at CAD/CAM dental centre in Bratislava, Slovakia. The fabrication was accomplished by 5-axis kinematic structure of machine tools.

Abstract: Ceramics are increasingly popular in dental restoration after metal restoration has been found to be less esthetic. One such example is yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP). However, one of the challenges of this application is its insufficient translucency to ensure high esthetic restoration. This study reviews the effect of sintering parameters, primary particle size, microstructure homogeneity, and thickness of zirconia on its translucency. Several studies remarked that the thickness of the framework had the greatest effect on zirconia translucency. Thus, a rigorous thickness control is necessary. The consideration for optimal sintering parameters (sintering temperature and holding time) and the use of smaller particle sizes help in the densification and elimination of porosity in zirconia, which, consequently, improve its translucency. Finally, a homogeneous microstructure can reduce the light scattering effect in zirconia and increase its translucency. Identifying the factors that influence zirconia translucency can contribute to future research in improving the esthetic dental restoration.

Abstract: Consolidation of ceramic parts may be achieved by several techniques, including the slip casting and cold isostatic pressing (CIP) methods. In the present work, the performances of the two methods are compared in the fabrication of nanostructured zirconia compacts for dental crown applications. First, a zirconia suspension suitable for slip casting was prepared. The rheological properties of the zirconia suspension were optimized by adding a dispersant agent and controlling the pH. Zirconia slurries were then slip-cast into a pellet. Second, another group of zirconia pellets were fabricated using uniaxial pressing and were then cold-isostatically pressed. Both slip-cast and CIP samples were sintered at 1300 °C with a soaking time of 2 hrs. The mechanical properties of both samples were compared. The samples prepared by slip casting were denser compared with those prepared via CIP. Slip casting technique produced samples with 98.8% of the theoretical density, which resulted in the high Vickers hardness (11.4 GPa) of the slip-cast samples. Morphological studies revealed that the microstructures of the slip cast-sample were more homogeneous and contain no porosity. The formation of such a structure is due to the enhancement of the particle packing efficiency by slip casting as well as to the removal of larger agglomerates by colloidal processing prior to casting. As a consolidation stage, slip casting appears to be more suitable than the CIP technique in preparing reliable nanostructural ceramic parts.

Abstract: All-ceramic dental crown restoration is popular because it results in better aesthetic quality than metal alloy restoration. Ceramics also show superior biocompatibility and inertness to human biological systems. However, clinical experience indicates that all-ceramic crowns are not as durable as their porcelain-fused-to-metal counterparts, particularly on molar teeth. New ceramic biomaterials that combine durability with excellent aesthetic qualities have been developed. In this study, several promising bioceramics for dental crown applications are evaluated and compared. The evaluated parameters include strength of the material, survival rate in clinical performance, and aesthetic quality.

Abstract: This work proposes three different glass formula derived from the SiO₂-Li₂O-K₂O-Al₂O₃ system to investigate the effect of glass compositions on their crystal formation and mechanical properties. Glass LD_1 was SiO₂-Li₂O-K₂O-Al₂O₃ system with adding P₂O₅ and CaF₂ as nucleating agents. In Glass LD_2, a few amount of MgO was mixed to improve the viscosity of the glass. Finally, an important factor of Si:Li ratio was increased in Glass LD_3. Glass batches were melted at 1500°C and cast into a graphite mold which was annealed at 400-500°C before heat treatment at 700, 750, 800 and 850°C. XRD results can be indexed Li₂Si₂O₅, Li₂SiO₃, Ca₅(PO₄)₃F and SiO₂ as an early crystallization when heat treated at 700°C. After heat treatment at 750-850°C, the intensity of SiO₂ disappeared and the peaks associated to Li₃PO₄ appeared; meanwhile, Li₂Si₂O₅ increased in intensity. Adding MgO resulted in decreasing the viscosity of the glass with no significant effects on the formation of lithium disilicate. By increasing Si:Li ratio, the peak of SiO₂ more obviously observed. SEM results revealed the development of microstructure from plate-like to interlocking rod-shaped crystals in all glasses. The highest indentation fracture toughness and biaxial flexural strength found in all glass ceramics heat treatment at 800°C because the finest microstructure observed at this temperature, except LD_3 heat treated at 850°C, which obtained the finest microstructure. LD_1 heat treated at 850°C presented the best chemical solubility 59 μg/cm².

Abstract: The dental community is using a variety of ceramic restorative materials such as porcelains (leucite or alumina based), glass-ceramics (leucite, mica, lithium disilicates), alumina-glass infiltrated, and CAD-CAM ceramics including pure alumina and zirconia (3Y-TZP) core materials. Polycrystalline ceramics such as alumina and zirconia serve as substructure materials (i.e., framework or core) upon which glassy ceramics are veneered for an improved appearance. Under masticatory loads, sudden fracture of the full-thickness restoration or of the veneering ceramic (chips) may occur. Stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope analyses were used to perform qualitative (descriptive) fractography on clinically failed dental ceramic restorations. The most common features visible on the fracture surfaces of the glassy veneering ceramic of recovered broken parts were hackle, wake hackle, twist hackle, arrest lines, and compression curls. The observed features are indicators of the local direction of crack propagation and were used to trace the crack’s progression back to its initial starting zone (the origin). This paper presents the applicability of fractographic failure analyses for understanding fracture processes in brittle dental restorative materials and it draws conclusions as to possible design or processing inadequacies in failed restorations.

Abstract: This paper uses Finite Element Analysis to examine stresses in loaded curved bi-layer structures. The model system consists of glass shells, both constant thickness and tapered, filled with dental composite. These systems, simulating brittle crowns on tooth dentine, are loaded with ultra-compliant disk indenters, and hard spherical indenters for comparison, along the (convex) axis of symmetry. The resulting maximum principal stress patterns are analysed. Previous studies have generally utilised hard spherical indenters of various radii indenting constant thickness coatings, and examined stresses leading to crack initiation. However, the peak stresses observed in this traditional contact problem – inducing surface cone cracking or flexureinduced radial cracking - occurred close to or inside the (small) contact area, and do not explain the margin failures in dental crowns commonly observed by dentists. Furthermore, the effect of varying coating thickness, especially tapering towards thinner margins, has not previously been examined. The use of an ultra-compliant indenter distributes the indentation force over a large contact area, generating a compressive zone underneath the contact, and consequently, previously insignificant stresses at the support margin become dominant, and the focus shifts to the support margin, rather than the area close to the contact. In this study, balsa wood is used as the disk indenter model material, with a modulus several orders of magnitude lower than the indented materials. Stress patterns from the same systems indented by hard spherical indenters are included for comparison. The specific focus is the effect of tapered coatings, examining stress patterns from several geometries. Results confirm not only a shift in the peak maximum principal stress from the near-contact area (under hard spherical indenters) to the margin area (under ultra-compliant indenters), but also show that coating taper can have a significant influence on the margin stress under a soft indenter. In the same systems indented by a hard indenter, coating taper has very little effect on the more localised stresses induced.

Abstract: This paper explores the so-called “margin failures” observed in loaded curved bi-layer structures. Hemispherical bi-layer model test specimens consisting of glass shells with varying margin geometry filled with epoxy resin, simulating brittle crowns on tooth dentine, are loaded with compliant indenters along the (convex) axis of symmetry. Using this unique setup, the influence of margin geometry on margin failure is examined. Nearly all previous studies have utilised hard spherical indenters of various radii, and examined crack initiation and evolution at the contact point. However, the modes of fracture observed in this traditional contact problem, surface cone cracking or flexure-induced radial cracking initiate close to or inside the (small) contact area, and thus not explain the margin failures commonly observed by dentists. Crack growth at the margins distant from the contact zone cannot be generated under indentation using hard spherical indenters. The use of a compliant (soft) indenter distributes the indentation force over a large contact area, generating a compressive zone underneath the contact, and effectively inhibiting the modes of fracture typically observed using hard indenters (radial and cone cracking). Consequently, significant tensile stresses at the support margin become dominant, and the focus shifts to fracture initiating at the support margins. In this study, cylindrical indenters composed of PTFE Teflon, with a modulus several orders of magnitude lower than the indented materials, are used to examine margin fracture in brittle crown like structures. The specific focus is the effect of margin geometry – Chamfered; Round; Shoulder margins are examined, and their influences on crack initiation and damage evolution are reported.

Abstract: Hertzian cyclic fatigue properties of the glass-infiltrated alumina and spinel were evaluated using a WC sphere of radius of 3.18 mm in exact in vitro environment (artificial saliva) at contact loads from 200 N to 1000 N to investigate indentation damage and strength degradation. At 200 N, no strength degradation was observed up to 106 contact cycles. As the load increased from 200 N to 1000 N, the reduction in strength was found when the transition from ring to radial cracking occurred. The degree of strength degradation after critical cycling was more pronounced probably owing to the chemical reaction of the artificial saliva with the glass phase along the radial cracks introduced during the large numbers of contact cycles.