Fracture strength of CAD/CAM posterior ceramic crowns after manual enhancement of occlusal morphology.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the fracture strength of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) posterior ceramic crowns with and without post-milling manual enhancement of occlusal morphology (MEOM), as indicated especially with early CAD/CAM restorations that have limited capacity to generate natural occlusal morphology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A mandibular molar of an acrylic tooth model was prepared to receive a CAD/CAM all-ceramic crown and was used as a master die to fabricate 80 prepared tooth replicas using an epoxy resin with an elastic modulus (E) of 18 GPa. The crown was designed using Cerec software's Biogeneric Copy Design mode (Sirona). Eighty identical monolithic crowns were fabricated by milling four types of ceramic blocks. Forty monolithic crowns (10 of each ceramic system) were randomly selected as the control group, and MEOM was performed for each of the other 40 crowns by a certified dental technician. Restorations were crystallized and glazed according to the manufacturers' instructions and firing protocols. All crowns were cemented to their respective die using resin cement, and loaded to fracture at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The resultant fractures were classified into three modes. Data were statistically analyzed using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test at α = 0.05. RESULTS: The MEOM treatment decreased the fracture load for all ceramic brands. CONCLUSION: The MEOM procedure should be considered detrimental for monolithic CAD/CAM-generated crowns and should thus be avoided.

Improving the compatibility of an Y-TZP/porcelain system using a new composite interlayer composition.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different cooling procedures and a new composite interlayer composition on the flexural strength, and veneer delamination resistance, of an all-ceramic veneered translucent Y-TZP core. One hundred twenty bar-shaped specimens of a translucent Y-TZP ceramic were prepared and divided into three groups: (1) no composite interlayer; (2) a glass interlayer (silica-based glass); (3) a mixed composite interlayer of glass and porcelain veneer material. A veneering porcelain (with and without a composite interlayer) was applied on the specimen surface and sintered. Each core-veneer group was cooled using a rapid or a slow cooling rate. All specimens were tested in four-point bending. Data were statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA, followed by Post-Hoc tests with Bonferroni correction (α=0.05) and Weibull analysis. The group with no interlayer using the rapid cooling technique exhibited the highest flexural strength. However, with low reliability and the greatest delaminated area of porcelain under tension. A glass interlayer between porcelain veneer and zirconia core presents as a good alternative for maintaining flexural strength and porcelain veneer delamination resistance in zirconia based restorations.

Performance of zirconia abutments for implant-supported single-tooth crowns in esthetic areas: a retrospective study up to 12-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this clinical study was to assess complications, success, and survival rates of zirconia abutments from different implant designs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Anterior implant-supported single-tooth restorations, after 1-12 years of clinical function, were evaluated. One hundred and fifty-eight zirconia implant abutments placed in 141 patients were evaluated. Mechanical complications were observed, such as presence or absence of abutment fractures and loss of retention. In addition, the peri-implant parameters were observed. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact tests, and bone level was analyzed using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test for non-normally distributed data. RESULTS: Sixteen restorations exhibited different complications. However, no significant difference was observed between the standard and platform switching. The standard platforms exhibited higher marginal bone loss than platform switching design followed up to 5 years. Platform switching has a potentially higher risk of fracture in some designs. In our study, one standard platform as well as two-platform switch designs seem to withstand fracture in the anterior area, regardless of the implant width. Survival and success rates were 93.8% and 81.2% (up to >7 years ≤12), respectively, for standard platform; and 90 and 84% (up to >2 years ≤5), respectively, for platform switching. CONCLUSIONS: In general, standard platform implants restored with zirconia abutments were successful for the longest periods of observation and are a viable treatment alternative in anterior areas. Some of the studied designs of platform switching implants with zirconia abutments performed well for up to 5 years.

The effect of air-abrasion and heat treatment on the fracture behavior of Y-TZP.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated how the flexural strength and fracture behavior of a zirconia-based ceramic (Y-TZP) were affected by pre- and post-sintering mechanical and thermal treatments. METHODS: Treatments included sandblasting with different particle size and type (30µm SiO2; 50 and 110µm Al2O3) and thermal conditioning. Two hundred bar-shaped specimens of pre-sintered Y-TZP ceramic (Lava Frame, 3M) were prepared (specimen dimensions: 25mm length×4mm width×0.7mm thickness) and divided into three groups (before sintering, after sintering and after sintering with heating treatment). The before sintering group specimens were airborne-particle abraded prior to dense sintering. Specimens from the after sintering group were airborne-particle abraded after sintering. The after sintering with heating treatment group specimens were submitted to a heating procedure after airborne-particle abrasion. The controls were the specimens that were sintered and not treated with any conditioning procedures. The specimens from all experimental conditions were analyzed by SEM, CLSM and XRD. All specimens were tested in four-point bending. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Post Hoc tests (α=0.05). A Weibull analysis was used to analyze the strength reliability. RESULTS: Sandblasting pre-sintered zirconia before sintering significantly decreased the flexural strength, except when the smallest blasting particles were used (30µm SiO2). Phase transformation (t-m) was observed after sandblasting and reverse transformation (m-t) was observed after heating. SIGNIFICANCE: Sandblasting with 30µm SiO2 and 50µm Al2O3 allowed lower phase transformation. However, 30mm SiO2 presented better reliability.

In vitro fracture toughness of commercial Y-TZP ceramics: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this review was to assess research methods used to determine the fracture toughness of Y-TZP ceramics in order to systematically evaluate the accuracy of each method with regard to potential influencing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six databases were searched for studies up to April 2013. The terms "tough*," "critical stress intensity factor," "zirconi*," "yttri*," "dent*," "zirconia," "zirconium," and "stress" were searched. Titles and abstracts were screened, and literature that fulfilled the inclusion criteria was selected for a full-text reading. Test conditions with potential influence on fracture toughness were extracted from each study. RESULTS: Ten laboratory studies met the inclusion criteria. There was a significant variation in relation to test method, ambient conditions, applied/indentation load, number of specimens, and geometry and dimension of the specimen. The results were incomparable due to high variability and missing information. Therefore, 10 parameters were listed to be followed to standardize future studies. CONCLUSIONS: A wide variation in research methods affected the fracture toughness reported for Y-TZP ceramics among the selected studies; single-edge-precracked beam and chevron-notched-beam seem to be the most recommended methods to determine Y-TZP fracture toughness; the indentation methods have several limitations. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The accurate calculation of toughness values is fundamental because overestimating toughness data in a clinical situation can negatively affect the lifetime of the restoration.

In vitro wear behavior of zirconia opposing enamel: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this systematic review was to assess enamel wear on teeth opposing zirconia restorations and to evaluate factors related to the wear of natural teeth opposing zirconia restorations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five electronic databases were searched through May 2013 without limitations. The terms "antagonist*," "enamel," "wear," and "zirconi*" were used. Titles and abstracts were initially screened, and those that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected for a full-text assessment. Studies that evaluated only the material wear were not included. RESULTS: The database search strategy retrieved 142 potentially eligible studies. After the duplicate studies were removed, 62 studies were obtained. Titles and abstracts that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected for a full-text assessment (25). Seven laboratory studies met the inclusion criteria. In addition, reference lists from the finally selected studies were also screened. CONCLUSIONS: There was a large variation in relation to wear test method quantification, applied force, lateral movement, number and frequency of cycles, number of specimens, and enamel specimen preparation. In all studies, enamel wear rates were lower against polished zirconia. Differences in the test methods did not allow for comparisons of wear rates among the studies. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Polishing the surface is recommended for a full-contour zirconia restoration because polished zirconia presents favorable wear behavior opposing natural teeth.

Effect of ceramic thickness and shade on mechanical properties of a resin luting agent.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the influence of ceramic thickness and shade on the Knoop hardness and dynamic elastic modulus of a dual-cured resin cement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six ceramic shades (Bleaching, A1, A2, A3, A3.5, B3) and two ceramic thicknesses (1 mm, 3 mm) were evaluated. Disk specimens (diameter: 7 mm; thickness: 2 mm) of the resin cement were light cured under a ceramic block. Light-cured specimens without the ceramic block at distances of 1 and 3 mm were also produced. The Knoop hardness number (KHN), density, and dynamic Young's moduli were determined. Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA and a Tukey B rank order test (p = 0.05). RESULTS: The bleaching 1-mm-thick group exhibited significantly higher dynamic Young's modulus. Lower dynamic Young's moduli were observed for the 3-mm-thick ceramic groups compared to bleaching 3-mm-thick group, and no difference was found among the other 3-mm groups. For the KHN, when A3.5 3-mm-thick was used, the KHN was significantly lower than bleaching and A1 1-mm-thick ceramic; however, no difference was exhibited between the thicknesses of the same shade. CONCLUSIONS: The dual-cured resin cement studied irradiated through the 1-mm-thick ceramic with the lightest shade (bleaching ceramic) exhibited a better elastic modulus, and there was no effect in KHN of the resin cement when light cured under different ceramic shades and thicknesses (1 and 3 mm), except when the A3.5 3-mm-thick ceramic was used. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Variolink II irradiated through ceramic with the lowest chroma exhibited the highest elastic modulus; therefore, the light activation method might not be the same for all clinical situations.

Enamel wear opposing different surface conditions of different CAD/CAM ceramics.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate bovine enamel wear opposed to four different ceramic substrates (CEREC) in the glazed and polished conditions. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Sixty-three ceramic (IPS Empress CAD, Paradigm C, Vitablocs Mark II) and fourteen composite resin (MZ100) styli were prepared. Ceramics were subdivided into three surface conditions (n = 7), unpolished, polished, and glazed, and the composite resin (n = 7) into unpolished and polished. All styli were used as wear antagonists opposing bovine enamel blocks (8 mm × 9 mm) in an oral wear simulator. Wear tests were conducted at 30 N abrasion and 70 N attrition forces applied at 1.7 Hz for 5,000 simulated mastication cycles. Abrasion and attrition wear were evaluated using an automatic profilometer. Statistical analyses were conducted using Tukey's B rank order test, P = .05. RESULTS: For bovine enamel opposing glazed Vitablocs, abrasion and attrition wear showed a volume loss significantly higher than bovine enamel opposing polished Vitablocs (P < .05). For attrition wear, bovine enamel opposing glazed Vitablocs and untreated Paradigm C showed a volume loss higher than bovine enamel opposing the other ceramic conditions. CONCLUSION: Abrasion and attrition wear of bovine enamel opposing antagonist ceramic was affected according to the ceramic surface condition and the ceramic material. Antagonistic wear against the studied ceramic materials and conditions exhibited wear rates within the range of normal enamel. In addition, the glaze layer presented as a protection, exhibiting fewer cracks and less loss of material on the ceramic surface.

Implant-abutment gap versus microbial colonization: Clinical significance based on a literature review.

Microorganisms from the oral cavity may settle at the implant-abutment interface (IAI). As a result, tissue inflammation could occur around these structures. The databases MEDLINE/PubMed and PubMed Central were used to identify articles published from 1981 through 2012 related to the microbial colonization in the implant-abutment gap and its consequence in terms of crest bone loss and osseointegration. The following considerations could be put forward, with respect to the clinical importance of IAI: (a) the space present at the IAI seems to allow bacterial leakage to occur, in spite of the size of this space; (b) bacterial leakage seems to occur at the IAI, irrespective of the type of connection. More studies are necessary to clarify the relationship between leakage at IAI and abutment connection designs; (c) losses at the peri-implant bone crests cannot be related to the IAI size, since few studies have shown no relationship. Also, the microbial leakage at the IAI cannot be related to the bone crest loss, since there are no articles reporting this relationship; remains controversial the influence of the IAI position on the bone crest losses.

Comparison of mechanical properties of five commercial dental core build-up materials.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the mechanical properties of five commercial core materials using fracture toughness (FT), Knoop hardness number (KHN), diametral tensile strength (DTS), and dynamic elastic moduli (DEM). METHODS: Composite material specimens were produced (Rock Core, CosmeCore, ParaCore, MultiCore Flow, and Filtek Supreme Plus). The FT test (n = 15) was performed using notchless triangular prism (NTP) specimens. FT was determined using an Instron testing machine. KHN (n = 3) was evaluated using three indentations applied on each specimen. DTS test (n = 15) was measured using an Instron testing machine. The density. of the specimens (n = 3) was determined by water displacement method. Dynamic Young's, shear moduli, and Poisson's ratio (n = 3) were measured by an ultrasonic method. Statistical analysis was conducted using ANOVA and a Tukey B rank order test (P = 0.05). RESULTS: Rock Core presented the lowest FT values. Filtek Supreme Plus and CosmeCore exhibited significantly higher KHN values than the rest of the materials. CosmeCore had the highest DTS value, which was statistically significant only compared to Rock Core. For DEM, Filtek Supreme Plus exhibited significantly higher Young's and shear moduli than the rest of the materials (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrated significant differences in the FT, KHN, and DTS values of the core build-up materials tested. According to the elastic behavior of the core composite materials, Rock Core had the lowest Young's values.

Bond strength of different resin cement and ceramic shades bonded to dentin.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the microtensile bond strength (MTBS) of ceramic cemented to dentin varying the resin cement and ceramic shades. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two VITA VM7 ceramic shades (Base Dentine 0M1 and Base Dentine 5M3) were used. A spectrophotometer was used to determine the percentage translucency of ceramic (thickness: 2.5 mm). For the MTBS test, 80 molar dentin surfaces were etched and an adhesive was applied. Forty blocks (7.2 x 7.2 x 2.5 mm) of each ceramic shade were produced and the ceramic surface was etched (10% hydrofluoric acid) for 60 s, followed by the application of silane and resin cement (A3 yellow and transparent). The blocks were cemented to dentin using either A3 or transparent cement. Specimens were photoactivated for 20 s or 40 s, stored in distilled water (37°C/24 h), and sectioned. Eight experimental groups were obtained (n = 10). Specimens were tested for MTSB using a universal testing machine. Data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc tests (α <= 0.05). RESULTS: The percentage translucency of 0M1 and 5M3 ceramics were 10.06 (± 0.25)% and 1.34 (± 0.02)%, respectively. The lowest MTBS was observed for the ceramic shade 5M3. For the 0M1 ceramic, the A3 yellow cement that was photocured for 20 s exhibited the lowest MTBS, while the transparent cement that was photocured for 40 s presented the highest MTBS. CONCLUSIONS: For the 2.5-mm-thick 5M3 ceramic restorations, the MTBS of ceramic cemented to dentin significantly increased. The dual-curing cement Variolink II photocured for 40 s is not recommended for cementing the Base Dentine 5M3 feldspathic ceramic to dentin.

Effects of cement-curing mode and light-curing unit on the bond durability of ceramic cemented to dentin

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different light-curing units and resin cement curing types on the bond durability of a feldspathic ceramic bonded to dentin. The crowns of 40 human molars were sectioned, exposing the dentin. Forty ceramic blocks of VITA VM7 were produced according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The ceramic surface was etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid / 60s and silanized. The dentin was treated with 37% phosphoric acid / 15s, and the adhesive was applied. The ceramic blocks were divided and cemented to dentin according to resin cement / RC curing type (dual- and photo-cured), light-curing unit (halogen light / QTH and LED), and storage conditions (dry and storage / 150 days + 12,000 cycles / thermocycling). All blocks were stored in distilled water (37°C / 24h) and sectioned (n = 10): G1 - QTH + RC Photo, G2 - QTH + RC Dual, G3 - LED + RC Photo, G4 - LED + RC Dual. Groups G5, G6, G7, and G8 were obtained exactly as G1 through G4, respectively, and then stored and thermocycled. Microtensile bond strength tests were performed (EMIC), and data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test (5%). The bond strength values (MPa) were: G1 - 12.95 (6.40)ab; G2 - 12.02 (4.59)ab; G3 - 13.09 (5.62)ab; G4 - 15.96 (6.32)a; G5 - 6.22 (5.90)c; G6 - 9.48 (5.99)bc; G7 - 12.78 (11.30)ab; and G8 - 8.34 (5.98)bc. The same superscript letters indicate no significant differences. Different light-curing units affected the bond strength between ceramic cemented to dentin when the photo-cured cement was used, and only after aging (LED > QTH). There was no difference between the effects of dual- and photo-cured resin-luting agents on the microtensile bond strength of the cement used in this study.

Effects of cement-curing mode and light-curing unit on the bond durability of ceramic cemented to dentin.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different light-curing units and resin cement curing types on the bond durability of a feldspathic ceramic bonded to dentin. The crowns of 40 human molars were sectioned, exposing the dentin. Forty ceramic blocks of VITA VM7 were produced according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The ceramic surface was etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid / 60s and silanized. The dentin was treated with 37% phosphoric acid / 15s, and the adhesive was applied. The ceramic blocks were divided and cemented to dentin according to resin cement / RC curing type (dual- and photo-cured), light-curing unit (halogen light / QTH and LED), and storage conditions (dry and storage / 150 days + 12,000 cycles / thermocycling). All blocks were stored in distilled water (37°C / 24h) and sectioned (n = 10): G1 - QTH + RC Photo, G2 - QTH + RC Dual, G3 - LED + RC Photo, G4 - LED + RC Dual. Groups G5, G6, G7, and G8 were obtained exactly as G1 through G4, respectively, and then stored and thermocycled. Microtensile bond strength tests were performed (EMIC), and data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test (5%). The bond strength values (MPa) were: G1 - 12.95 (6.40)ab; G2 - 12.02 (4.59)ab; G3 - 13.09 (5.62)ab; G4 - 15.96 (6.32)a; G5 - 6.22 (5.90)c; G6 - 9.48 (5.99)bc; G7 - 12.78 (11.30)ab; and G8 - 8.34 (5.98)bc. The same superscript letters indicate no significant differences. Different light-curing units affected the bond strength between ceramic cemented to dentin when the photo-cured cement was used, and only after aging (LED > QTH). There was no difference between the effects of dual- and photo-cured resin-luting agents on the microtensile bond strength of the cement used in this study.

Durability of adhesion between feldspathic ceramic and resin cements: effect of adhesive resin, polymerization mode of resin cement, and aging.

PURPOSE: Adhesive cementation is an important step for restorations made of feldspathic ceramic as it increases the strength of such materials. Incorrect selection of the adhesive resin and the resin cement to adhere to the ceramic surface and their durability against aging can affect the adhesion between these materials and the clinical performance. This study evaluated the effect of adhesive resins with different pHs, resin cements with different polymerization modes, and aging on the bond strength to feldspathic ceramic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One surface of feldspathic ceramic blocks (VM7) (N = 90) (6.4 × 6.4 × 4.8 mm(3) ) was conditioned with 10% hydrofluoric acid for 20 seconds, washed/dried, and silanized. Three adhesive resins (Scotchbond Multi-Purpose Plus [SBMP], pH: 5.6; Single Bond [SB], pH: 3.4; and Prime&Bond NT [NT], pH: 1.7) were applied on the ceramic surfaces (n = 30 per adhesive). For each adhesive group, three resin cements with different polymerization modes were applied (n = 10 per cement): photo-polymerized (Variolink II base), dual polymerized (Variolink II base + catalyst), and chemically polymerized (C&B). The bonded ceramic blocks were stored in water (37°C) for 24 hours and sectioned to produce beam specimens (cross-sectional bonded area: 1 ± 0.1 mm(2) ). The beams of each block were randomly divided into two conditions: Dry, microtensile test immediately after cutting; TC, test was performed after thermocycling (12,000×, 5°C to 55°C) and water storage at 37°C for 150 days. Considering the three factors of the study (adhesive [3 levels], resin cement [3 levels], aging [2 levels]), 18 groups were studied. The microtensile bond strength data were analyzed using 3-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test (α= 0.05). RESULTS: Adhesive resin type (p < 0.001) and the resin cement affected the mean bond strength (p= 0.0003) (3-way ANOVA). The NT adhesive associated with the chemically polymerized resin cement in both dry (8.8 ± 6.8 MPa) and aged conditions (6.9 ± 5.9 MPa) presented statistically lower bond strength results, while the SBMP adhesive resin, regardless of the resin cement type, presented the highest results (15.4 to 18.5 and 14.3 to 18.9 MPa) in both dry and aged conditions, respectively (Tukey's test). CONCLUSION: Application of a low-pH adhesive resin onto a hydrofluoric acid etched and silanized feldspathic ceramic surface in combination with chemically polymerized resin cement did not deliver favorable results. The use of adhesive resin with high pH could be clinically advised for the photo-, dual-, and chemically polymerized resin cements tested.

Effect of ceramic shade on the degree of conversion of a dual-cure resin cement analyzed by FTIR.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to evaluate the degree of monomer conversion of different resin cement shades when photocured under different feldspathic ceramic shades. The photocuring time was also evaluated as well as the translucency of each ceramic shade. METHODS: Three VITA VM7 ceramic shades (Base Dentin 0M1, Base Dentin 2M2 and Base Dentin 5M3) were used to determine the translucency percentage. A spectrophotometer MiniScan was used to measure the opacity percentage of each specimen (2-mm-thick) and then the translucency was calculated. To measure the degree of conversion (DC), the resin cement (Variolink II; A3 Yellow and transparent) specimens (thickness: 100 µm) were photocured under a ceramic block (2-mm-thick) for 20 or 40s. Specimens photocured without the ceramic block were used as control. Sixteen groups (n=3) were evaluated. Micro-ATR/FTIR spectrometry was used to evaluate the extent of polymerization of all specimens after 24h. The %DC was calculated of experimentally polymerized versus maximally polymerized composite. RESULTS: The translucency percentages of 0M1, 2M2 and 5M3 ceramics were 12.41 (1.02)%, 5.75 (1.91)% and 1.07 (0.03)%, respectively. The %DC of both resin cement shades cured under ceramic 5M3 was significantly lower than the other groups (p<0.05). The %DC of 0M1 groups exhibited no significant difference from 2M2 groups (p>0.05), with the exception of the transparent cement photocured for 40s. CONCLUSION: Photocuring under 2mm ceramic showed that the increase in chroma saturation significantly decreased Variolink II resin cement %DC (100-µm-thick).

Effect of cement shade and light-curing unit on bond strength of a ceramic cemented to dentin.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of cement shade, light-curing unit, and water storage on tensile bond strength (σ) of a feldspathic ceramic resin bonded to dentin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dentin surface of 40 molars was exposed and etched with 37% phosphoric acid, then an adhesive system was applied. Forty blocks of feldspathic ceramic (Vita VM7) were produced. The ceramic surface was etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid for 60 s, followed by the application of a silane agent and a dual-curing resin cement (Variolink II). Ceramic blocks were cemented to the treated dentin using either A3 or transparent (Tr) shade cement that was activated using either halogen or LED light for 40 s. All blocks were stored in 37°C distilled water for 24 h before cutting to obtain non-trimmed bar-shaped specimens (adhesive area = 1 mm2 ± 0.1) for the microtensile bond strength test. The specimens were randomly grouped according to the storage time: no storage or stored for 150 days in 37°C distilled water. Eight experimental groups were obtained (n = 30). The specimens were submitted to the tensile bond strength test using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. The data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's posthoc tests (a = 0.05). RESULTS: The mean bond strength values were significantly lower for the corresponding water stored groups, except for the specimens using A3 resin cement activated by halogen light. There was no significance difference in mean bond strength values among all groups after water storage. CONCLUSION: Water storage had a detrimental effect under most experimental conditions. For both cement shades investigated (Tr and A3) under the same storage condition, the light-curing units (QTH and LED) did not affect the mean microtensile bond strengths of resin-cemented ceramic to dentin.

Diametral tensile strength of composite core material with cured and uncured fiber posts.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of different types of posts and post head designs on the fracture resistance of a composite resin core material using the diametral tensile strength (DTS ). Seventy-five disc specimens were prepared using a composite core and prefabricated glass fiber posts and were divided into four test groups and one control group (n=15). The use of fiber posts reduced the DTS of the composite core material; the DTS value of the control material was significantly higher (p=0.05) than all of the test groups.

Shear bond strength of resin cement bonded to alumina ceramic after treatment by aluminum oxide sandblasting or silica coating.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the shear bond strength and bond durability between a dual-cured resin cement (RC) and a high alumina ceramic (In-Ceram Alumina), subjected to two surface treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty disc-shaped specimens (sp) (4-mm diameter, 5-mm thick) were fabricated from In-Ceram Alumina and divided into two groups (n = 20) in accordance with surface treatment: (1) sandblasting by aluminum oxide particles (50 µm Al(2) O(3) ) (SB) and (2) silica coating (30 µm SiO(x) ) using the CoJet system (SC). After the 40 sp were bonded to the dual-cured RC, they were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours. After this period, the sp from each group were divided into two conditions of storage (n = 10): (a) 24 h-shear bond test 24 hours after cementation; (b) Aging-thermocycling (TC) (12,000 times, 5 to 55°C) and water storage (150 days). The shear test was performed in a universal test machine (1 mm/min). RESULTS: ANOVA and Tukey (5%) tests noted no statistically significant difference in the bond strength values between the two surface treatments (p = 0.7897). The bond strengths (MPa) for both surface treatments reduced significantly after aging (SB-24: 8.2 ± 4.6; SB-Aging: 3.7 ± 2.5; SC-24: 8.6 ± 2.2; SC-Aging: 3.5 ± 3.1). CONCLUSION: Surface conditioning using airborne particle abrasion with either 50 µm alumina or 30 µm silica particles exhibited similar bond strength values and decreased after long-term TC and water storage for both methods.

The influence of cutting speed and cutting initiation location in specimen preparation for the microtensile bond strength test.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the effect of cutting initiation location and cutting speed on the bond strength between resin cement and feldspathic ceramic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six blocks (6.4 x 6.4 x 4.8 mm) of ceramic (Vita VM7) were produced. The ceramic surfaces were etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid gel for 60 s and then silanized. Each ceramic block was placed in a silicon mold with the treated surface exposed. A resin cement (Variolink II) was injected into the mold over the treated surface and polymerized. The resin cement-ceramic blocks were divided into two groups according to experimental conditions: a) cutting initiation location - resin cement, ceramic and interface; and b) cutting speed - 10,000, 15,000, and 20,000 rpm. The specimens were sectioned to achieve non-trimmed bar specimens. The microtensile test was performed in a universal testing machine (1 mm/min). The failure modes were examined using an optical light microscope and SEM. Bond strength results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Significant influences of cutting speed and initiation location on bond strength (p < 0.05) were observed. The highest mean was achieved for specimens cut at 15,000 rpm at the interface (15.12 ± 5.36 MPa). The lowest means were obtained for specimens cut at the highest cutting speed in resin cement (8.50 ± 3.27 MPa), and cut at the lowest cutting speed in ceramic (8.60 ± 2.65 MPa). All groups showed mainly mixed failure (75% to 100%). CONCLUSION: The cutting speed and initiation location are important factors that should be considered during specimen preparation for microtensile bond strength testing, as both may influence the bond strength results.

Accuracy of mechanical torque devices for implants used in Brazilian dental offices.

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of mechanical torque devices in delivering target torque values in dental offices in Salvador, Brazil. A team of researchers visited 16 dental offices, and the clinicians applied torque values (20 and 32 Ncm) to electronic torque controllers. Five repetitions were completed at each torque value and data were collected. When 20 Ncm of torque was used, 62.5% of measured values were accurate (within 10% of the target value). For 32 Ncm, however, only 37.5% of these values were achieved. Several of the tested mechanical torque devices were inaccurate.