Fracture Resistance of Aged Full-Coverage All-Ceramic Zirconia and Metal-Ceramic Restorations of Implant-Supported Fixed Partial Dentures

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Metal-ceramics restorations were considered a preferable option for fabrication fixed partial dentures (FPDs) that have an acceptable durability, but they are not able to provide the same beauty as the entire ceramic material. Full-contour zirconia, such as Zolid, does not have problems with chipping of layered zirconia, along with translucency and staining capabilities.
 AIM: This study aimed to assess the fatigue fracture strength of three-unit implant-supported full-contour zirconia and metal-ceramics posterior FPDs.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this in vitro study, 24 posterior three-unit implant-supported FPDs were fabricated of full-contour zirconia and metal-ceramics and were cemented on implant abutments. To simulate the oral environment, FPDs were subjected to 10,000 thermal cycles between 5 and 55°C for 30 s and were then transferred to a chewing simulator (100,000 cycles, 50 N, 0.5 Hz). Afterward, fatigue fracture strength was measured using a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test.
 RESULTS: The obtained results showed that the mean and standard deviation of fatigue fracture strength was higher for the metal-ceramics group (2567.8 ± 689.7 N) compared to those for the full-coverage zirconia group (2108.6 ± 455.2 N). However, the difference was not statistically significant (p ˃ 0.05).
 CONCLUSIONS: Fracture resistance due to fatigue in the metal-ceramics group was not significantly different from full-coverage zirconia group. Full-coverage zirconia seems promising as a metal-ceramics material for the fabrication of posterior three-unit FPDs.