Zirconia CAD-CAM Crowns Behavior after Intraoral Digital Impression in Normal versus Dysfunctional Patients: 3 Years...

Area of Science:

• Dental prosthetics
• Digital dentistry

Background:

• Intraoral digital computer-aided design-computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) protocols offer potential advantages for fabricating single zirconia crowns.
• Evaluating long-term clinical performance and complications is crucial for validating new dental technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the 3-year clinical outcomes of single zirconia crowns created using an intraoral digital CAD-CAM workflow.
• To compare the performance in patients with normal occlusion versus those with occlusal dysfunction (parafunctions).

Main Methods:

• Seventy patients received single zirconia crowns fabricated via an intraoral digital CAD-CAM protocol.
• Knife-edge marginal preparation, digital impressions, and milling were employed.
• Clinical outcomes including survival, failures, complications, and marginal adaptation were evaluated at 3-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• The digital CAD-CAM protocol demonstrated satisfactory outcomes with high survival rates and minimal complications after 3 years.
• Excellent marginal adaptation was observed in 93% of crowns; 7% showed minor deviations.
• Parafunctions were present in 41.9% of patients, but no significant differences in crown survival or complications were noted between normal and dysfunctional groups.

Conclusions:

• Intraoral digital CAD-CAM technology provides a reliable and predictable method for single zirconia crowns, even in patients with parafunctions, provided occlusal adjustments are meticulously performed.
• This digital workflow simplifies procedures, reduces overall treatment time, and minimizes human-related variables, enhancing clinical efficiency.