Ceramic partial laminate veneers in anterior teeth: A literature review.

STUDY SELECTION: Partial laminate veneers, defined as small ceramic restorations adhesively luted onto unprepared anterior teeth, are an interesting and conservative alternative to conventional ceramic and composite resin veneers in the anterior region. This literature review aimed to summarize the available laboratory and clinical data on ceramic partial laminate veneers. An electronic search of the MEDLINE/PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science databases was conducted. The keywords used were "partial veneer," "partial laminate veneer," "ceramic fragment," and "sectional veneer." The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the QUIN tool. RESULTS: Of the 266 identified articles, only 16 met the inclusion criteria (ten clinical reports, five laboratory studies, and one retrospective clinical study). To date, no randomized controlled clinical trials have been conducted. Most laboratory studies displayed a low risk of bias, with partial laminate veneers rendering adequate strength and color stability. Clinical reports have shown large variability in material selection, luting, and finishing/polishing protocols. CONCLUSIONS: Low-quality evidence is available for ceramic partial laminate veneers. Available data from laboratory studies suggest good mechanical and optical performances comparable to those of conventional ceramic and composite resin veneers. Further clinical studies with longer follow-up periods are warranted.

Formación de biopelícula bacteriana sobre las superficies de pilares de cicatrización de PEEK y titanio

Objetivos. Explorar el efecto de las características de superficie sobre el volumen total y la viabilidad de la biopelícula formada sobre pilares de cicatrización de PEEK y titanio. Métodos. Los parámetros de rugosidad (S a y S k) y la energía superficial de pilares de cicatrización de PEEK y titanio (n=3) fueron determinados mediante microscopía confocal láser de barrido (CLSM) y ángulo de contacto, respectivamente. Se determinó luego el volumen total y la viabilidad de una biopelícula bacteriana multiespecie cultivada por 30 días, mediante CLSM y el reactivo LIVE/DEAD Kit BacLight. El tamaño del efecto se determinó mediante d de Cohen. Resultados. Los pilares de PEEK mostraron una mayor rugosidad que los de titanio (S a 0,41 µm vs 0,17 µm), pero no se observaron diferencias en la energía superficial. Si bien el volumen total de biopelícula fue mayor en titanio que en PEEK (696 µm3 vs 419 µm3), no hubo diferencias en la proporción de bacterias vivas entre ambos materiales. Conclusiones. La viabilidad de la biopelícula bacteriana formada no guarda relación directa con las características superficiales de pilares de cicatrización de PEEK y titanio.

Objetivo. Explorar o efeito das características da superfície no volume total e viabilidade do biofilme formado em PEEK e pilares de cicatrização de titânio. Métodos. Parâmetros de rugosidade (S a e S k) e energia de superfície de PEEK e pilares de titânio (n = 3) foram determinados por microscopia confocal de varredura a laser (CLSM) e ângulo de contato, respectivamente. O volume total e a viabilidade de um biofilme bacteriano multiespécie cultivado por 30 dias foram então determinados usando CLSM e o reagente LIVE/DEAD Kit BacLight. O tamanho do efeito foi determinado usando o d de Cohen. Resultados. Os pilares de PEEK mostraram maior rugosidade do que os de titânio (S a 0,41 µm vs 0,17 µm), mas não foram observadas diferenças na energia de superfície. Embora o volume total de biofilme tenha sido maior no titânio do que no PEEK (696 µm3 vs 419 µm3), não houve diferenças na proporção de bactérias vivas entre os dois materiais. Conclusões. A viabilidade do biofilme bacteriano formado não está diretamente relacionada às características da superfície dos pilares de cicatrização de PEEK e titânio.

Objectives . To explore the effect of surface characteristics on the total volume and viability of a bacterial biofilm developed on the surface of PEEK and titanium healing abutments. Methods. Surface parameters S a and S k, as well as the surface energy of PEEK and titanium healing abutments (n=3) were determined using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and contact angle, respectively. The total volume and viability of a multispecies bacterial biofilm cultivated for 30 days were determined using CLSM and the LIVE/DEAD BacLight reactive kit. Effect size was determined using Cohen's d. Results. PEEK healing abutments displayed a higher surface roughness than titanium (S a 0.41 µm vs 0.17 µm), although no differences in surface energy were observed. Despite the higher total volume of the biofilm measured on titanium abutments compared to PEEK (696 µm3 vs 419 µm3), no differences in the live/dead bacterial ratio were observed. Conclusions. Bacterial viability of the biofilm did not show a direct relation to the surface characteristics of PEEK and titanium healing abutments.

Contemporary flowable bulk-fill resin-based composites: a systematic review.

Flowable bulk-fill resin-based composites (BF-RBCs) represent a new and interesting alternative for the bulk-fill restorative techniques in the posterior region. However, they comprise a heterogeneous group of materials, with important differences in composition and design. Therefore, the aim of the present systematic review was to compare the main properties of flowable BF-RBCs, including their composition, degree of monomer conversion (DC), polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress, as well as flexural strength. The search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines in the Medline (PubMed), Scopus and Web of Science databases. In vitro articles reporting on the DC, polymerization shrinkage/shrinkage stress, and flexural strength of flowable BF-RBCs strength were included. The QUIN risk-of-bias (RoB) tool was used for assessing the study quality. From initially 684 found articles, 53 were included. Values for DC ranged between 19.41 and 93.71%, whereas polymerization shrinkage varied between 1.26 and 10.45%. Polymerization shrinkage stresses reported by most studies ranged between 2 and 3 MPa. Flexural strength was above 80 MPa for most materials. A moderate RoB was observed in most studies. Flowable BF-RBCs meet the requirements to be indicated for bulk fill restoration technique in the posterior region. However, important variations among composition and properties hinder extrapolation of the results to materials different from those reported here. Clinical studies are urgently required to assess their performance under a real working scenario.

Clinical report and fractographic analysis of a fractured partial laminate veneer.

Ceramic partial laminate veneers represent a conservative option for the correction of morphological abnormalities, diastemas, and fractured anterior teeth, with minimal or no tooth preparation. The present clinical report describes the use of a partial laminate veneer to correct the shape of a maxillary right central incisor to match the restoration of the more damaged adjacent tooth. The failure of the partial laminate veneer after only 18 months was analyzed using a systematic fractographic approach, identifying critical considerations that should be addressed when providing this type of restoration.

Premature failure of a screw-retained ceramic single crown: A clinical report and fractographic analysis.

Screw-retained implant-supported ceramic restorations have shown increased rates of technical complications compared with their cemented counterparts, including fracture and chipping of the ceramic structures. The present clinical report identified the causes leading to the catastrophic failure of a screw-retained lithium disilicate veneered crown cemented to a zirconia abutment with a titanium base by using a systematic fractographic approach. A combination of occlusal overloading, a deficient design and inadequate material selection was identified as being responsible for the fracture. These findings highlight the importance of a thorough analysis of the anatomic conditions and loading scenario of screw-retained implant-supported restorations.

Seguimiento a 5 años de prótesis híbrida con subestructura sinterizada. Reporte de caso / Five-year follow-up of hybrid prosthesis with sintered substructure. Case report

RESUMEN: La rehabilitación de rebordes severamente atróficos mediante prótesis híbridas con subestructura cromo-cobalto fabricadas por sinterizado láser asegura el ajuste pasivo, aumentando la estabilidad de los tejidos de soporte a largo plazo. Los controles periódicos y enseñanza de técnicas de higiene son fundamentales para el éxito de rehabilitaciones complejas sobre implantes. El propósito de este reporte de caso es realizar la evaluación clínica y radiográfica a 5 años de prótesis híbridas maxilar y mandibular fabricadas mediante sinterizado láser, encontrándose resultados satisfactorios en la evaluación y seguimiento.

ABSTRACT: Rehabilitation of severely atrophic ridges using hybrid cobalt-chrome substructures manufactured by laser sintering ensures passive fit, increasing support tissue stability. Regular check-ups and the teaching of hygiene techniques are essential for the success of complex implant restorations. The purpose of this case report is to perform a 5-year clinical and radiographic evaluation of hybrid maxillary and mandibular prostheses manufactured using laser sintering, achieving satisfactory results in the evaluation and follow-up.

Mechanical degradation of contemporary CAD/CAM resin composite materials after water ageing.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of water storage on the quasi-static properties and cyclic fatigue behavior of four contemporary CAD/CAM resin composite materials. METHODS: The CAD/CAM resin composites Grandio Blocs, LavaTM Ultimate, CerasmartTM and Brilliant Crios, as well as the direct resin composite Grandio SO, were evaluated. Rectangular plates were cut from the blocks or fabricated using a silicon mold to obtain specimens for fracture toughness (KIc, n = 10), biaxial strength (σ0, n = 30) and cyclic fatigue testing (n = 30). Half of the specimens was stored for 24 h in dry conditions and the other half was aged for 60 days in distilled water at 37 °C. KIc was determined using the Compact-Tension (C(T)) method and σ0 and cyclic fatigue were tested using the Ball-on-Three-Balls assembly. Additional disc-shaped specimens (n = 5) were produced to obtain water sorption curves of the materials. Weibull statistics and two-way ANOVA with Tukey's post-hoc test were used for data assessment. RESULTS: The highest water sorption was observed for LavaTM Ultimate (42.6 µg/mm3), whereas Grandio SO displayed the lowest uptake (14 µg/mm3). A statistically significant drop in KIc and σ0 was measured for all materials after water storage, except for the σ0 of CerasmartTM. Water ageing had a dissimilar effect on the cyclic fatigue behavior, increasing the slow crack growth susceptibility of LavaTM Ultimate, but decreasing it for CerasmartTM and Brilliant Crios. SIGNIFICANCE: Contemporary CAD/CAM resin composites are susceptible to water driven degradative processes, although differences in filler content and resin matrix constitution play an important role in how it impacts their mechanical properties.

Polifluoruro de amonio como alternativa de acondicionamiento para laminados ultradelgados de disilicato de litio. Reporte de caso / Ammonium polyfluoride as an alternative for the surface conditioning of ultrathin lithium disilicate veneers. A case report

RESUMEN: Los laminados vitrocerámicos ultradelgados constituyen una alternativa conservadora para la resolución de alteraciones estéticas. Sin embargo, su acondicionamiento con ácido fluorhídrico suele no estar exento de complicaciones, por lo que el uso de un sistema autograbante en base a polifluoruro de amonio (Monobond Etch&Prime, MEP) permite disminuir el riesgo de sobregrabado, simplificando la técnica. El presente reporte presenta el seguimiento a dieciocho meses de un caso clínico resuelto mediante laminados vitrocerámicos acondicionados únicamente con MEP. Caso. Paciente joven con alteraciones estéticas en el sector anterosuperior. Se realizaron preparaciones conservadoras para la confección de laminados ultradelgados en disilicato de litio (e.maxPress). Las vitrocerámicas fueron acondicionadas sólo con MEP y se cementaron con Variolink Esthetic LC. Al año y medio las restauraciones se observaron indemnes, manteniendo un buen ajuste marginal y ausencia de tinciones. Conclusiones. MEP aparece como una alternativa prometedora para reemplazar al ácido fluorhídrico en la cementación de laminados vitrocerámicos.

ABSTRACT: Ultrathin glass-ceramic veneers are a conservative approach for the restorative treatment of aesthetic disorders in the anterior region. However, surface conditioning with hydrofluoric acid of the thin structures can be usually a challenging step. Therefore, the use of a self-etching ceramic primer containing ammonium polyfluoride (Monobond Etch&Prime, MEP) offers a simplified technique with a reduced risk of overetching. Here we present an 18-month follow-up of ultrathin glass-ceramic veneers conditioned with MEP only. Case. Young female patient with an aesthetic disorder in the front region. The four upper incisors were conservatively prepared for ultrathin lithium disilicate (e.maxPress) veneers. Pre-treatment of the glass-ceramics consisted only of MEP application, followed by adhesive cementation with Variolink Esthetic LC. At the 1.5-year recall, the restorations appeared undamaged, with no marginal gap or staining. Conclusions. MEP constitutes a promising alternative to hydrofluoric acid for the adhesive cementation of glass-ceramic veneers.

Explantación y reposición de implante con dehiscencia vestibular en la zona estética. Reporte de caso / Explantation and replacement of an implant with a facial dehiscence in the aesthetic region. Case report

RESUMEN: La incidencia de complicaciones en los tejidos periimplantarios, como recesiones y dehiscencias, ha ido en aumento en los últimos años, principalmente asociados a un incorrecto posicionamiento espacial de los implantes. El objetivo de este reporte de caso es presentar el manejo quirúrgico de una complicación estética debida a la mal posición de un implante en la zona anterior. Caso. Paciente se presenta con recesión mucosa y dehiscencia por vestibular del implante 1.2, causados por su mal posicionamiento. Se realiza explantación mediante llave de alto torque e inserción de un nuevo implante en combinación con regeneración ósea (sticky bone) e injerto de tejido conectivo, lo que recupera la armonía gingival. Conclusión. La explantación conservadora acompañada de regeneración tisular ofrecen una interesante alternativa para el tratamiento de defectos estéticos severos asociados a la mal posición de implantes. La sistematización de este tipo de protocolos es fundamental para mejorar su predictibilidad.

ABSTRACT: An increase in the incidence of peri-implant soft tissue complications, such as facial recession and dehiscence, has been observed in the last years, mainly associated with an incorrect spatial placement of the implants. This case report focuses on the surgical management of an esthetic complication due to an incorrect implant position in the anterior region. Case report. Patient presented with recession and dehiscence in the facial area of implant 1.2, due to its incorrect placement. Explantation was performed with a high torque wrench, followed by the immediate placement of a new implant in combination with bone regeneration (sticky bone) and soft tissue augmentation. Conclusion. The use of atraumatic explantation techniques followed by guided tissue regeneration offers an interesting alternative for the treatment of severe defects in the esthetic region due to incorrectly placed implants. An adequate systematization of these protocols is key to improve their predictability.

Solving color irregularities with a bioactive bulk-fill restorative system: case report and 24-months follow up / Resolución de irregularidades de color con un sistema restaurador bulk-fill bioactivo: reporte de caso y seguimiento de 24 meses

Bulk-fill resin composites represent an excellent alternative to the conventional incremental layering technique for the reduction of polymerization stress on the adhesive interface. Marginal seal can be further improved by the incorporation of bioactive fillers, such as those encountered in Giomers. However, the high translucency required for the adequate polymerization of bulk-fill materials can seriously jeopardize the final aesthetic outcome of the restorations, especially in the presence of inhomogeneous or stained dentin substrates. The aim of this case report was to present the combined use of two bulk-fill Giomer materials (Beautifil Bulk Flowable and Beautifil II LS, Shofu) for the restoration of three posterior maxillary teeth displaying a black stained dentin substrate due to amalgam corrosion products. This technique allowed completion of the restorations with a satisfactory aesthetic and biomimetic outcome. The adequate preservation of the anatomy and function of the three restorations after 24-months follow-up, provides evidence of the enhanced marginal sealing capacity of these bioactive materials and the success of bulk-fill techniques over time.

Las resinas compuestas de tipo bulk-fill representan una excelente alternativa a la técnica incremental para la reducción de la tensión de polimerización sobre la interfaz adhesiva. La incorporación de rellenos bioactivos, como los que se encuentran en los materiales con tecnología giomer, refuerzan aún más el sellado marginal de estas restauraciones. Sin embargo, la alta translucidez, necesaria para la adecuada polimerización de los materiales tipo bulk-fill, puede comprometer seriamente el resultado estético final de las restauraciones, especialmente en presencia de sustratos dentarios no homogéneos u oscurecidos. El objetivo de este reporte de caso fue presentar el uso combinado de dos materiales giomer tipo bulk-fill (Beautifil Bulk Flowable y Beautifil II LS, Shofu) para la restauración de tres dientes maxilares posteriores con un sustrato dentinario ennegrecido debido a productos de corrosión de amalgama. Esta técnica permitió completar las restauraciones con un resultado estético y biomimético satisfactorio. La adecuada conservación de la anatomía y la función de las tres restauraciones tras un período de 24 meses, aporta evidencia sobre la adecuada capacidad de sellado marginal de estos materiales bioactivos y el éxito de las técnicas de restauración tipo bulk-fill en el tiempo.

Factors influencing development of residual stresses during crystallization firing in a novel lithium silicate glass-ceramic.

OBJECTIVE: Development of residual stresses is a potential source of premature fractures in glassy materials, being of special interest in novel lithium silicate glass-ceramics that require a crystallization firing to achieve their final mechanical properties. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of various firing tray systems and the application of different cooling protocols on the development of residual stresses in Suprinity PC crowns. Their effect on the in vitro lifetime of the restorations was also studied. METHODS: Thirty crowns were milled out of Suprinity PC blocks and crystallized using one of five different commercial firing tray systems (n = 6). Samples in each group were cooled following a fast (FC = 5.5 °C/s), a slow (SC = 0.4 °C/s) or the manufacturer's reference cooling (REF ). Obtained crowns were sagittally or transversally sectioned and the magnitude and distribution of residual stresses was determined using the light birefringence method. Extra crowns of three of the subgroups (n = 8) were produced and submitted to chewing simulation for 106 cycles or until fracture ensued. RESULTS: Average residual stresses ranged between 0 and 1.5 MPa (peaks of 5 MPa). Highest stress magnitudes were observed at the support areas of groups using firing pins, leading to thermal cracks in FC samples and premature failures in the REF subgroup. The use of fibrous pads and firing pastes limited the development of residual stresses, whereas application of SC regimes extended the lifetime of the restorations. SIGNIFICANCE: Development of residual stresses during crystallization firing in lithium silicate glass-ceramics results critical for their mechanical performance and should be therefore avoided by ensuring a homogenous cooling of the structures.

Fractographic analysis of lithium silicate crown failures during sintering.

The two-step production process of glass-ceramic dental restorations involves a computer-aided design/computer-aided machining step followed by a crystallization firing for the final material properties to be achieved. Certain firing parameters are believed to trigger spontaneous fracture of crowns during the cooling process. In this study, cooling fractures have been reproducibly observed and investigated using fractography combined with material (glass transition temperature) and process (cooling rate) characterization. Stress distribution was visualized using birefringence measurements. Fractographic observations revealed fracture starting at the intaglio side of the crowns specifically at contact points with the support firing pins. Further analysis showed that a fast cooling rate was applied during the glass transition region. Thermal stresses were concentrated around the firing pin supports and released the fracture. To prevent such fractures, a slow cooling protocol below the glass transition temperature is our recommendation to dental technicians. Furthermore, the use of planar firing pad or paste supports is advised over the use of point contact supports.

In vitro lifetime of zirconium dioxide-based crowns veneered using Rapid Layer Technology.

Rapid Layer Technology (RLT) uses computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) to manufacture a veneer layer that is adhesively bonded to the zirconia framework, avoiding firing steps during the fabrication process and thus preventing build-up of residual stresses. This work studied, using sliding contact fatigue, the in vitro lifetime of restorations produced using RLT compared with restorations produced using conventional veneering techniques. Zirconia copings were veneered with a conventional hand-layering method (VM9) using a fast (n = 16) or a slow (n = 16) cooling protocol, or with RLT. For the latter, the veneers were CAD/CAM fabricated using a feldspathic reinforced-glass (Vitablocs Mark II; n = 16) or a polymer-infiltrated reinforced-glass network (Enamic; n = 16) and adhesively bonded to the zirconia frameworks. Crowns thus obtained were submitted to sliding contact fatigue against a steatite indenter in a chewing simulator until failure. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted. None of the hand-layered restorations survived after a 2 × 106 -cycle interval, whereas no fractures in the RLT groups were observed. Vitablocs Mark II veneers survived for a longer testing period (3.5 × 106 cycles) than their Enamic counterparts (2.5 × 106 cycles) owing to their superior wear behavior. The RLT represents an efficient method to veneer zirconia frameworks by reducing processing steps and, more importantly, increasing the lifetime of the restorations.

Chairside CAD/CAM materials. Part 3: Cyclic fatigue parameters and lifetime predictions.

OBJECTIVES: Chemical and mechanical degradation play a key role on the lifetime of dental restorative materials. Therefore, prediction of their long-term performance in the oral environment should base on fatigue, rather than inert strength data, as commonly observed in the dental material's field. The objective of the present study was to provide mechanistic fatigue parameters of current dental CAD/CAM materials under cyclic biaxial flexure and assess their suitability in predicting clinical fracture behaviors. METHODS: Eight CAD/CAM materials, including polycrystalline zirconia (IPS e.max ZirCAD), reinforced glasses (Vitablocs Mark II, IPS Empress CAD), glass-ceramics (IPS e.max CAD, Suprinity PC, Celtra Duo), as well as hybrid materials (Enamic, Lava Ultimate) were evaluated. Rectangular plates (12×12×1.2mm3) with highly polished surfaces were prepared and tested in biaxial cyclic fatigue in water until fracture using the Ball-on-Three-Balls (B3B) test. Cyclic fatigue parameters n and A* were obtained from the lifetime data for each material and further used to build SPT diagrams. The latter were used to compare in-vitro with in-vivo fracture distributions for IPS e.max CAD and IPS Empress CAD. RESULTS: Susceptibility to subcritical crack growth under cyclic loading was observed for all materials, being more severe (n≤20) in lithium-based glass-ceramics and Vitablocs Mark II. Strength degradations of 40% up to 60% were predicted after only 1 year of service. Threshold stress intensity factors (Kth) representing the onset of subcritical crack growth (SCG), were estimated to lie in the range of 0.37-0.44 of KIc for the lithium-based glass-ceramics and Vitablocs Mark II and between 0.51-0.59 of KIc for the other materials. Failure distributions associated with mechanistic estimations of strength degradation in-vitro showed to be useful in interpreting failure behavior in-vivo. The parameter Kth stood out as a better predictor of clinical performance in detriment to the SCG n parameter. SIGNIFICANCE: Fatigue parameters obtained from cyclic loading experiments are more reliable predictors of the mechanical performance of contemporary dental CAD/CAM restoratives than quasi-static mechanical properties.

Practical and theoretical considerations on the fracture toughness testing of dental restorative materials.

BACKGROUND: An important tool in materials research, development and characterization regarding mechanical performance is the testing of fracture toughness. A high level of accuracy in executing this sort of test is necessary, with strict requirements given in extensive testing standard documents. Proficiency in quality specimen fabrication and test requires practice and a solid theoretical background, oftentimes overlooked in the dental community. AIMS: In this review we go through some fundamentals of the fracture mechanics concepts that are relevant to the understanding of fracture toughness testing, and draw attention to critical aspects of practical nature that must be fulfilled for validity and accuracy in results. We describe our experience with some testing methodologies for CAD/CAM materials and discuss advantages and shortcomings of different tests in terms of errors in testing the applicability of the concept of fracture toughness as a single-value material-specific property.

Mixed-mode fracture toughness of texturized LS2 glass-ceramics using the three-point bending with eccentric notch test.

Here we use the 3-point bending with eccentric notch test (3-PBEN) to investigate the fracture behavior of a pressable and a CAD/CAM lithium disilicate (LS2) glass-ceramics under combined mode-I and mode-II loading. The effect of the bulk texturization in the beams of the pressable LS2 is made visible through the fracture trajectory following the most energetically favorable path dictated by the crystallite alignment. The CAD/CAM LS2 shows an isotropic fracture mode but increasing fracture energy with mode-II contribution, similar to the pressable variant.

Chairside CAD/CAM materials. Part 1: Measurement of elastic constants and microstructural characterization.

OBJECTIVE: A deeper understanding of the mechanical behavior of dental restorative materials requires an insight into the materials elastic constants and microstructure. Here we aim to use complementary methodologies to thoroughly characterize chairside CAD/CAM materials and discuss the benefits and limitations of different analytical strategies. METHODS: Eight commercial CAM/CAM materials, ranging from polycrystalline zirconia (e.max ZirCAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent), reinforced glasses (Vitablocs Mark II, VITA; Empress CAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent) and glass-ceramics (e.max CAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent; Suprinity, VITA; Celtra Duo, Dentsply) to hybrid materials (Enamic, VITA; Lava Ultimate, 3M ESPE) have been selected. Elastic constants were evaluated using three methods: Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy (RUS), Resonant Beam Technique (RBT) and Ultrasonic Pulse-Echo (PE). The microstructures were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). RESULTS: Young's modulus (E), Shear modulus (G), Bulk modulus (B) and Poisson's ratio (ν) were obtained for each material. E and ν reached values ranging from 10.9 (Lava Ultimate) to 201.4 (e.max ZirCAD) and 0.173 (Empress CAD) to 0.47 (Lava Ultimate), respectively. RUS showed to be the most complex and reliable method, while the PE method the easiest to perform but most unreliable. All dynamic methods have shown limitations in measuring the elastic constants of materials showing high damping behavior (hybrid materials). SEM images, Raman spectra and XRD patterns were made available for each material, showing to be complementary tools in the characterization of their crystal phases. SIGNIFICANCE: Here different methodologies are compared for the measurement of elastic constants and microstructural characterization of CAD/CAM restorative materials. The elastic properties and crystal phases of eight materials are herein fully characterized.

Chairside CAD/CAM materials. Part 2: Flexural strength testing.

OBJECTIVE: Strength is one of the preferred parameters used in dentistry for determining clinical indication of dental restoratives. However, small dimensions of CAD/CAM blocks limit reliable measurements with standardized uniaxial bending tests. The objective of this study was to introduce the ball-on-three-ball (B3B) biaxial strength test for dental for small CAD/CAM block in the context of the size effect on strength predicted by the Weibull theory. METHODS: Eight representative chairside CAD/CAM materials ranging from polycrystalline zirconia (e.max ZirCAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent), reinforced glasses (Vitablocs Mark II, VITA; Empress CAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent) and glass-ceramics (e.max CAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent; Suprinity, VITA; Celtra Duo, Dentsply) to hybrid materials (Enamic, VITA; Lava Ultimate, 3M ESPE) have been selected. Specimens were prepared with highly polished surfaces in rectangular plate (12×12×1.2mm3) or round disc (Ø=12mm, thickness=1.2mm) geometries. Specimens were tested using the B3B assembly and the biaxial strength was determined using calculations derived from finite element analyses of the respective stress fields. Size effects on strength were determined based on results from 4-point-bending specimens. RESULTS: A good agreement was found between the biaxial strength results for the different geometries (plates vs. discs) using the B3B test. Strength values ranged from 110.9MPa (Vitablocs Mark II) to 1303.21MPa (e.max ZirCAD). The strength dependency on specimen size was demonstrated through the calculated effective volume/surface. SIGNIFICANCE: The B3B test has shown to be a reliable and simple method for determining the biaxial strength restorative materials supplied as small CAD/CAM blocks. A flexible solution was made available for the B3B test in the rectangular plate geometry.

Descriptions of crack growth behaviors in glass-ZrO2 bilayers under thermal residual stresses.

OBJECTIVES: This study was intended to separate residual stresses arising from the mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion between glass and zirconia (ZrO2) from those stresses arising solely from the cooling process. Slow crack growth experimentes were undertaken to demonstrate how cracks grow in different residual stress fields. METHODS: Aluminosilicate glass discs were sintered onto ZrO2 to form glass-ZrO2 bilayers. Glass discs were allowed to bond to the ZrO2 substrate during sintering or prevented from bonding by means of coating the ZrO2 with a thin boron nitrade coating. Residual stress gradients on "bonded" and "unbonded" bilayers were assessed using birefringence measurements. Unbonded glass discs were further tested under biaxial flexure in dynamic fatigue conditions in order to evaluate the effect of residual stress on the slow crack growth behavior. RESULTS: When fast-ccoling was induced, residual tensile stresses on the glass increased significantly on the side toward the ZrO2 substrate. By allowing the bond between glass and ZrO2, those tensile stresses observed in unbonded specimens are overwhelmed by the contraction mismatch stresses between the ZrO2 substrate and the glassy overlayer. Specimens containing residual tensile stresses on the bending surface showed a time-dependent strength increase in relation to stress-free annealed samples in the dynamic biaxial bending test, with this effect being dependent on the magnitude of the residual tensile stress. The phenomenon observed is explained here on the basis of the water toughening effect, in which water diffuses into the glass promoting local swelling. An additional residual tensile stress at the crack tip adds an applied-stress-independent (Kres) term to the total tip stress intensity factor (Ktip), increasing the stress-enhanced diffusion and the shielding of the crack tip through swelling of the crack faces. SIGNIFICANCE: Residual stresses in the glass influence the crack growth behavior of veneered-ZrO2 bilayered dental prostheses. The role of water in crack growth might be of higher complexity when residual stresses are present in the glass layer.