Simulating Adhesive Damage in Different Filling Methods for Class V Restorations Under Polymerization Shrinkage and...

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Computational Dentistry

Background:

• Adhesive damage in dental restorations is a significant clinical concern.
• Understanding the influence of filling techniques on adhesive integrity is crucial for improving restoration longevity.
• Finite element analysis (FEA) provides a powerful tool for simulating complex biomechanical phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of different dental filling techniques on adhesive damage.
• To compare bulk filling versus various incremental filling strategies.
• To analyze damage under polymerization shrinkage and occlusal loading using FEA and a cohesive zone model.

Main Methods:

• FEA was employed using a cohesive zone model to simulate adhesive damage at the cavity-restoration interface.
• A mandibular first premolar with a Class V cavity was modeled.
• Filling techniques included bulk filling (control), parallel incremental filling (PI), oblique incremental incisal (OII), and oblique incremental gingival (OIG).
• Simulations involved polymerization shrinkage and subsequent occlusal forces.

Main Results:

• Incremental filling techniques mitigated damage expansion from polymerization shrinkage but not the extent.
• Incremental techniques, particularly OIG, effectively reduced occlusion-induced damage compared to bulk filling.
• The PI technique demonstrated the least adhesive damage under coupled loading conditions (shrinkage and occlusion).

Conclusions:

• The oblique incremental gingival (OIG) technique shows effectiveness against occlusal force-induced adhesive damage.
• The parallel incremental filling (PI) technique is recommended as the optimal method for resisting adhesive damage under combined loading scenarios.