Accelerated Fatigue Resistance of Bonded Composite Resin and Lithium Disilicate Screw-Retained Incisor Crowns with...

This study evaluates the fatigue resistance and failure mode of CAD/CAM composite resin and lithium disilicate-bonded screw-retained incisor crowns with long and short titanium bases. Sixty CAD/CAM implant restorations were fabricated using lithium disilicate (IPS e.max CAD, Ivoclar Vivadent) and composite resin (Block HC, Shofu). The central incisor crowns were bonded to a prefabricated titanium base 6 mm tall (groups: Emax6 and Shofu6; n = 15 each) or a modified abutment 4 mm tall (groups: Emax4 and Shofu4; n = 15 each). The intaglio surface of the restorations was conditioned according to the material and bonded to the titanium abutments/bases using dual-cure cement. All assembled crowns were torqued onto implants and subjected to cyclic isometric loading at the incisal edge along the implant axis. Samples were loaded until fracture. Groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (log rank test at P = .05). The number of mean survived cycles differed significantly, with Emax6 and Emax4 at 48,448 and 43,727 cycles, respectively, and Shofu6 and Shofu4 at 44,124 and 37,620 cycles, respectively. Post hoc tests showed similar fatigue resistance for Emax6, Emax4, and Shofu6. Shofu4 was less resistant than all other groups (P < .03). All restorations survived significantly above physiologic load limits. Lithium disilicate screw-retained incisor crowns can be used with long and short titanium bases, while it is recommended to keep a long titanium base for screw-retained composite resin crowns. The composite resin material required the full height of the abutment for optimal strength but may offer enhanced shock absorption and wear-friendliness when considering function and antagonistic wear.