Characterisation of the Filler Fraction in CAD/CAM Resin-Based Composites

The performance of dental resin-based composites (RBCs) heavily depends on the characteristic properties of the individual filler fraction. As specific information regarding the properties of the filler fraction is often missing, the current study aims to characterize the filler fractions of several contemporary computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) RBCs from a material science point of view. The filler fractions of seven commercially available CAD/CAM RBCs featuring different translucency variants were analysed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), Micro-X-ray Computed Tomography (µXCT), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG) and X-ray Diffractometry (XRD). All CAD/CAM RBCs investigated included midifill hybrid type filler fractions, and the size of the individual particles was clearly larger than the individual specifications of the manufacturer. The fillers in Shofu Block HC featured a sphericity of ≈0.8, while it was <0.7 in all other RBCs. All RBCs featured only X-ray amorphous phases. However, in Lava Ultimate, zircon crystals with low crystallinity were detected. In some CAD/CAM RBCs, inhomogeneities (X-ray opaque fillers or pores) with a size <80 µm were identified, but the effects were minor in relation to the total volume (<0.01 vol.%). The characteristic parameters of the filler fraction in RBCs are essential for the interpretation of the individual material's mechanical and optical properties.