Minimally retentive gold onlays: a six-year case report

Partial veneer gold restorations, such as gold onlays, have changed little in preparation design over the past 40 years, as evidenced by textbooks that have long been in print. Such designs must have been based on the assumption that restorations would be luted with zinc phosphate cement but have not altered, despite the introduction of stronger luting cement classes, such as resin composite and resin-modified glass ionomer cements. It is well-established that both porcelain and base metal materials, which have been etched on the intaglio surface, can be combined with resin composite luting cements to produce restorations retained largely through adhesion. However, neither of these materials can equal the combination of minimal tooth reduction and margin adaptation that is possible with high noble gold restorative materials. Although high noble gold alloys cannot be etched, air abrasion of the intaglio surface of restorations likely improves micromechanical retention, but it is unknown whether this, along with a strong luting cement, is sufficient to stabilize high noble gold alloys in preparations with considerably less retention and resistance form than traditional designs.