Influence of Margin Designs on Crack Initiation of High Translucency Monolithic Zirconia Crowns.

PURPOSE: Zirconia crowns often crack at the margin. This study determined the loads and the times at which cracks are initiated in high-translucency monolithic zirconia crowns with different margin designs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 90 crowns were fabricated from Zirconia blanks. The fabricated crowns had different margin thicknesses (light-chamfer, CL and heavy-chamfer, CH ) and collar heights (no-collar, NC ; low-collar, LC ; high-collar, HC ). They were grouped as CL NC , CL LC , CL HC , CH NC , CH LC , and CH HC (15 crowns/group). The crowns were seated on a metal model and loaded vertically through round end punch (Φ = 10 mm) at 0.2 mm/min crosshead speed until cracks began to be seen. Videos of the crack initiation were recorded at the rate of 50 frames/second. Load-initiated cracks and durability time were compared for significant differences using analysis of variance. RESULTS: The mean ± standard deviation values of load (N) and time (s) taken to initiate cracks were 3190 ±775, 212 ±47 for CL NC ; 2754 ±1109, 180 ±42 for CL LC ; 2887±832, 191±27 for CL HC ; 4082 ±896, 241 ±36 for CH NC ; 4180 ±1029, 220 ±28 for CH LC ; 4119 ±1124, 222 ±39 for CH HC . This indicates that the thickness of the margin has a significant influence on load-withstanding crack initiation capacity and durability time (p < 0.05). No significant impact of collar height was observed on either load-withstanding capacity or durability time (p > 0.05). No interaction was observed among these factors. CONCLUSION: Heavy chamfer margin provided a stronger zirconia crown than the light chamfer margin, but both of them were capable of withstanding crack-initiated load higher than the theoretical maximum masticatory force. The presence or absence of a collar did not have any impact on the crack initiation. Fabrication of zirconia crowns with either a heavy or light chamfer margin and with or without the presence of a collar should be generated by considering the relevant emergence profile.

Effect of Marginal Designs on Fracture Strength of High Translucency Monolithic Zirconia Crowns.

INTRODUCTION: Monolithic zirconia is able to achieve certain aesthetic, but its durability in resisting fracture has been questioned, as fractures often originate from margins of restoration. This study determined fracture resistance of highly translucent monolithic zirconia crowns with different margin designs in terms of marginal thickness and collar height. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Zirconia blanks (Ceramill® Zolid HT+) were selected for the fabrication of zirconia crowns according to different designs, including varying margin thicknesses (light chamfer, CL; heavy chamfer, CH) and collar heights (no collar, NC; low collar, LC; high collar, HC), which resulted in CLNC, CLLC, CLHC, CHNC, CHLC, and CHHC groups (15 crowns each). The crowns were seated on a metal die and loaded vertically through round end punch (θ = 10 mm), contacting with inclined planes of cusp in a testing machine with crosshead speed of 0.2 mm/min until fracture. Videos with a rate of 50 frames/second were used to record fracture. Fracture load (N) and durable period (s) were compared for significant differences using ANOVA and Bonferroni test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The mean ± sd of fracture load (N) and durable time (s) were 3211 ± 778 and 212 ± 47 for CLNC; 3041 ± 1370 and 188 ± 53 for CLLC; 2913 ± 828 and 192 ± 27 for CLHC; 4226 ± 905 and 245 ± 35 for CHNC; 4486 ± 807 and 228 ± 29 for CHLC; and 4376 ± 1043 and 227 ± 37 for CHHC. This indicated that marginal thickness had a significant influence on load-bearing capacity and durable time (p < 0.05). No significant impact of collar height was shown, either on load-bearing capacity or durable time (p > 0.05). No interaction between two factors was presented (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Heavy chamfer margin provided stronger zirconia crown than light chamfer, but both were capable of withstanding fracture load higher than maximum masticatory force. Neither presence nor absence of collar indicated any impact on strength. Fabrication of zirconia crowns with either heavy or light chamfer margin and either presence or absence of collar, with the consideration of emergence profile, should be considered.