Clinical performance and wear characteristics of veneered lithia-disilicate-based ceramic crowns.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to characterize the clinical performance and wear characteristics of lithia-disilicate-based ceramic crowns. METHODS: Thirty posterior crowns were made using the heat-pressing technique and lithia-disilicate-based core ceramic. Subjects were recalled annually. The quality of crowns and adjacent gingival tissues were examined using nine criteria for acceptability. All crowns were examined and ranked from 4 (Excellent) to 1 (Unacceptable) for each criterion. Impressions were made for replica models at each appointment. Wear characteristics of dental ceramic and enamel were obtained by comparing the surface of the original model with the follow-up model using a laser scanner. RESULTS: Twenty-nine subjects returned for the 1-year recall examination. The maximum clenching force for the 30 subjects ranged from 125 to 815 N. All clinical criteria were ranked good to excellent at the 1-year recall exam and no fractures were observed. The mean occlusal wear volumes for the ceramic crowns after 1 year were 0.19 (0.065)mm3 for premolar sites and 0.34 (0.08)mm3 for molar sites. The mean occlusal wear volumes of opposing enamel after 1 year were 0.21 (0.06)mm3 for premolar teeth and 0.50 (0.22)mm3 for molar teeth. The mean occlusal wear volume of ceramic molar crowns was significantly lower than the volume of enamel wear of the opposing teeth (p

Development of metal-resin composite restorative material. Part 4. Flexural strength and flexural modulus of metal-resin composite using Ag-In alloy particles as filler.

The flexural strength and flexural modulus of an experimental metal-resin composite, which used Ag-In alloy particle as the filler, were evaluated. The effect of acid treatment and heat treatment on the Ag-In alloy particle was investigated. The flexural strength of the experimental metal-resin composites ranged from 65.5 MPa to 91.0 MPa. The flexural strength of the metal-resin composite increased with the temperature of the heat treatment until 350 degrees C, but its effect varied with the concentrations of HCl of the acid treatment. A metal-resin composite, which used acid-treated and 350 degrees C heat-treated Ag-In alloy fillers, matched the requirement of strength of ISO 4049. The average of flexural modulus of the experimental metal-resin composite was 9.1 GPa. The flexural modulus of the metal-resin composite did not vary with the treatment conditions of the metal filler. The flexural modulus of a metal-resin composite, which used Ag-In alloy particle as the filler, was lower than that of Ag-Sn alloy metal-resin composite, which was reported previously. However, the flexural strength of the Ag-In alloy metal-resin composite was similar to that of Ag-Sn alloy metal-resin composite. We can control a flexural modulus of a metal-resin composite without decreasing flexural strength by choosing filler materials.