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Updated: May 12, 2025
Shrinkage of Dental Composite in Simulated Cavity Measured with Digital Image Correlation
Published on: July 21, 2014
Comparison of Surface Strains of Polymeric Frameworks for Fixed Implant-Supported Prostheses: A Digital Image
Ana Messias1, Maria Augusta Neto2, Ana Paula Piedade2
1Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE), Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal.
Abstract:
The gold standard materials used for frameworks of full-arch implant-supported fixed prostheses (ISFPs) have traditionally been metal alloys, but recently, high-performance polymers such as polyetherketones and fibre-reinforced resins have been gaining popularity despite the lack of evidence of load-bearing capacity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the displacements and strains of milled polymeric frameworks for full-arch ISFPs using 3D digital image correlation.
Methods:
Twelve frameworks were milled from four polymeric materials (three per group): polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and fibre-reinforced composite (FRC). Each framework was fitted with titanium links and screwed to implant analogues embedded in resin and tested for static load-bearing capacity up to 200N. Displacements were captured with two high-speed photographic cameras and analysed with a video correlation system on three spatial axes, U, V, and W, along with principal tensile, compressive and von Mises strains.
Results:
PEEK exhibited the highest displacement, indicating greater flexibility, while FRC showed the lowest displacement, suggesting enhanced rigidity. Von Mises strain analysis revealed that PMMA and PEEK experienced higher strain, whereas PEKK and FRC demonstrated lower strain distribution. Bayesian ANOVA provided strong evidence for material differences.
Conclusion:
FRC exhibited superior load-bearing characteristics, reinforcing its potential as a viable clinical alternative to metal-based ISFPs.
