ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To assess energy dissipation capacities and surface damping abilities of different CAD/CAM restorative materials (CRMs) to characterize stress resistance during load peaks. METHODS: Using instrumented indentation testing (IIT), Martens hardness (HM) together with its elastic (ηIT) and plastic index (ηITdis) and Leeb hardness (HLD) together with its deduced energy dissipation (HLDdis) were determined for eight ceramic, eight composite, and four polymer-based materials as well as three metals. The results were compared to those of bovine enamel. Ten indentations per material were performed at room temperature (23 ± 1 °C) on two separate specimens (12.0 × 12.0 × 3.5 mm3) after water storage (24 h; 37.0 ± 1.0 °C). Hardness parameters were recorded, and data were analyzed with one-way MANOVA (Games-Howell post hoc tests, α = 0.05). Correlations between different parameters were tested (Pearson, α = 0.05). RESULTS: Independently determined HLDdis, and ηITdis values substantiated different energy dissipation characteristics of CRM, whereby a strong correlation was observed for the two datasets (r = 0.956, p = 0.011). Ceramics had the significantly lowest values (p < 0.001) while both parameters revealed the highest surface damping effects for metals (p < 0.001), followed in both cases by bovine enamel. Energy dissipation of polymer and composite CRM was in between ceramics and bovine enamel (p < 0.001), whereas only for HLDdis did both show no significant difference (p > 0.05). SIGNIFICANCE: Promising new HLDdis and ηITdis data allow a reliable differentiation of energy dissipation and surface damping capacities of CRMs. Previously published rankings of edge chipping and loss tangent results were perfectly reproduced, especially by HLDdis.