Applications, benefits, and limitations of fiber-reinforced composites in fixed prosthodontics

This study offers a comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy, benefits, and limitations of fiber-reinforced composites (FRCs) in fixed prosthodontics. Emerging as a substitute for conventional dental materials such as metals and ceramics, FRCs are now used in a variety of applications, from dental crowns and bridges to veneers. The study is based on an exhaustive literature review and explores various properties of FRCs, such as mechanical, optical, viscoelastic, adhesive, and thermal attributes. The strength and rigidity of constructions made from FRC are dependent on the polymer matrix of the FRC and the type of fiber reinforcement. In dental appliances of relatively small sizes, the quality of the load bearing FRC sub-structure is very important. A special emphasis is placed on the clinical applications and future potential of these materials. The advantages of using FRCs include their biocompatibility, light weight, durability, and aesthetic superiority. However, there are limitations, such as higher costs and concerns about long-term clinical performance, specifically related to interface degradation. The study concludes that FRCs hold significant promise in the domain of fixed prosthodontics, although further research is needed for optimizing their long-term effectiveness.

A comparative review one-stage and two-stage dental implants

Dental implants have been used as an effective treatment for missing teeth. Dental implantology has a long history that reaches back to ancient times when attempts were made to replace missing teeth with various materials. Modern dental implants are designed to osseointegrate, where the implant fixture fuses with the jawbone. The surgical procedure involves placing the implant, followed by the adaptation of the surrounding tissue. There are two main surgical techniques: one-stage surgery and two-stage surgery. One-stage surgery involves placing the implant and allowing a healing abutment to protrude through the gums. This eliminates the need for a second surgery but carries the risk of overloading the implant during the healing phase. Two-stage surgery is the standard approach, where the implant is initially submerged, and a second surgery is performed to connect the abutment. The choice between one-stage and two-stage surgery depends on many factors, including bone quality, clinical parameters, and aesthetic considerations. One-stage surgery offers quick aesthetics but can pose a higher risk of implant failure due to early loading. Two-stage surgery provides a higher success rate but requires two surgical procedures.

Indications, design considerations, and clinical outcomes of implant-supported fixed prostheses

Implant-supported fixed prostheses are a highly successful treatment option for replacing missing teeth, offering improved esthetics, function, and patient satisfaction. Design considerations play a crucial role in achieving optimal outcomes. Implant distribution and angulation should be carefully planned to ensure balanced load distribution and biomechanical stability. Occlusal considerations are vital to minimize mechanical complications and implant overloading, with proper adjustments and occlusal schemes implemented. The emergence profile should replicate natural tooth contours for esthetic integration and ease of oral hygiene maintenance. Material selection is essential, considering factors such as occlusal loading, esthetic requirements, and patient-specific considerations. Biomechanical analysis helps identify stress distribution patterns and optimize prosthesis design for long-term success. Patient satisfaction is high, with improved chewing ability, speech, and overall quality of life reported. Long-term success rates exceed 90%, influenced by implant survival, peri-implant health, maintenance of prosthesis integrity, and patient satisfaction. Thorough patient assessment, treatment planning, precise surgical and prosthetic execution, and comprehensive follow-up care are crucial for favorable outcomes. Implant-supported fixed prostheses provide functional and esthetic restorations, enhancing oral health and overall well-being.

Differences between ceramic and porcelain laminate veneers

In dental care, treating anterior dentition esthetically has always been difficult. Numerous restorative solutions, including resin composites, all-ceramic crowns, and ceramic veneers, become accessible with the advancement of dental materials. In such situations, practitioners and patients should pick the most appropriate option to enhance oral health and aesthetic outcomes. Any substance made of non-metallic inorganic matter and fired at an elevated temperature is referred to as ceramics (pyrochemical process). Ceramics called glass ceramics are those that commence in a glassy phase and later devitrify to a partly or wholly crystalline form. Dental ceramics that most closely optically resemble the characteristics of real teeth are primarily glassy materials, which are derived primarily from triaxial porcelain compositions of feldspar, quartz, and kaolin. Glass-ceramics possess much more toughness and strength than porcelain but are also less translucent. Tougher and more durable ceramics, primarily yttrium stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals, have been developed recently (Y-TZP). Due to its limited translucency, Y-TZP presents a major drawback. A significant amount of current tooth structure must be removed in order to allow for a porcelain veneer that is wide enough to overlay an opaque zirconia base and replicate the optical characteristics of the surrounding natural teeth. Ceramic restoration effectiveness, in the end, relies on the material choice, production process, and restoration strategy.

Over-reduction in tooth preparation

The treatment of carious lesions is the primary objective of tooth preparation and carious tissue excision. All carious lesions were previously treated invasively, or with cutting or drilling, and restoratively, or with the installation of restorative material following preparation and the elimination of carious lesion. Over-reduction simplifies laboratory work and provides for the best aesthetics and durability of the restoration, however there are clear drawbacks, including injury to the dental pulp and lessens retaining abilities and remaining resilience of the tooth. It is crucial to select the most practical entry route, which might be the labial, lingual, or purely proximal technique, in the event that a caries disease is situated on the proximal surface without compromising the enamel on the labial or lingual sides. It is not mandatory to expand the tooth preparation towards to the occlusal grooves when the disease is contained to the proximal surface since doing so will needlessly damage the tooth and make it more brittle. Whenever it is feasible, the proximal approach should be used since this encourages the maximal conservation of the quality remnant tooth structure. The decayed tissue must be eliminated while retaining the greatest amount of the natural tooth structure left upon obtaining entry to the area. The only tooth preparation required is the minimally invasive excision of carious tissue.

Comparison between color stability of zirconia and lithium disilicate

The most widely used glass-ceramic is lithium disilicate (LD) because of its remarkable optical qualities, high strength, and simplicity of manufacture. Greater marginal strength, reduced porosity, and net-shaped manufacturing by pressing are further benefits of LD. The development of yttrium stabilized trigonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP) ceramics is the result of the pursuit for a material with both mechanical capabilities, like the resistance provided by metallic restoration, and the distinctive optical characteristics of glass-ceramic. The main drawback is the fragile veneering ceramics, which are prone to chipping, debonding, and breakage. There is evidence that extrinsic variables such beverages, mouthwashes, acid solutions, dental brushing, and increased temperatures might cause ceramic surfaces to deteriorate. The composition and surface shape of ceramic materials have an impact on the extrinsic pigment absorption or adsorption from the oral cavity. The main causes for the clinical replacement of anterior restorations, according to prior research, are poor color matching and color instabilities. Monolithic zirconia is more prone to staining from chlorhexidine, green tea, and coffee. In monolithic zirconia, the aging-related color changes are more pronounced. The color of the background substructure influences how zirconia restorations look overall. In terms of color stability and translucency, LD ceramic has also been proven to be more aesthetically pleasing. In comparison to monolithic zirconia, bilayer zirconia with feldspar veneering ceramic displayed reduced discoloration overall. It has been noted that monolithic zirconia is more susceptible to low-temperature degradation than the core Y-TZP. The use of current literature to infer outcomes has several limitations because in most vitro investigations, thermocycling has been carried out in water rather than oral cavity saliva and the influence of sunlight exposure, salivary proteins, food coloring, tobacco, different enzymes, and surface-related factors on the color stability is yet to be examined.