Clinical Evaluation of Lithium Disilicate Chairside CAD/CAM Crowns After 10 Years

To study the clinical performance of chairside CAD/CAM-fabricated lithium disilicate crowns (IPS e.max CAD, Ivoclar) over 10 years of service.

A total of 100 CAD/CAM lithium disilicate crowns were fabricated using the CEREC 3 system (Dentsply Sirona). The crowns were adhesively bonded in consecutive groups with one of three cements: self-etching bonding agent and resin cement (ML; MultiLink-Automix, Ivoclar); self-adhesive resin cement (EC; Experimental Cement, Ivoclar); and self-adhesive, light-cured resin cement (SC; SpeedCem, Ivoclar).

Mild sensitivity was reported on 15% of the teeth at 1 week. All sensitivity resolved by 3 weeks. At 6 months, two (8.7%) of the crowns cemented with ML and three (7.7%) of the crowns cemented with EC were described as slightly sensitive by the patient. No patients required treatment for sensitivity, and there was no reported sensitivity at any subsequent recalls. The percent alpha scores were above 95% for color match and marginal adaptation at all recall intervals. Four crowns debonded: three cemented with EC (13, 20, and 36 months) and one cemented with ML (36 months). A second MultiLink crown debonded at 110 months (9 years, 2 months). There were four reported cases of crown fracture between 6 years, 3 months and 9 years, 9 months. There were two biologic failures: one due to endodontic treatment and one due to fracture and loss of the core.

The lithium disilicate crowns performed very well over 10 years.