Chair-side generated posterior lithium disilicate crowns after 4 years

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Restorative Dentistry
• Clinical Prosthodontics

Background:

• Chair-side Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) restorations offer efficient prosthetic solutions.
• Lithium disilicate ceramics are widely used for their aesthetic and mechanical properties.
• Evaluating the long-term clinical performance of chair-side fabricated restorations is crucial for evidence-based practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the clinical performance and survival rate of chair-side generated lithium disilicate crowns after 48 months.
• To identify any biological or technical complications associated with these restorations.
• To provide clinical recommendations for the use of chair-side CAD/CAM lithium disilicate crowns.

Main Methods:

• Prospective clinical study involving 41 posterior full contour crowns (e.max CAD LT).
• Chair-side CAD/CAM technique used for fabrication and insertion in 34 patients.
• Evaluation at baseline and 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 months using modified US Public Health Service criteria.

Main Results:

• After a mean follow-up of 51 months, 29 crowns were re-examined.
• One crown fracture occurred after 2.8 years; failure-free rate was 96.3% at 4 years (Kaplan-Meier).
• Biological complications included two cases of secondary caries and two instances of altered abutment tooth sensibility.

Conclusions:

• The clinical performance of chair-side lithium disilicate crowns was completely satisfying.
• Secondary caries and endodontic complications were within acceptable ranges and not attributed to crown margin inaccuracies.
• The chair-side application of lithium disilicate crowns is recommended for clinical practice.