Assessment of all-ceramic systems' influence on dual-cure resin cement polymerization: An in vitro study

The polymerization of dual-cure resin cements is critical for the long-term success of all-ceramic restorations is of interest. In this in vitro study, sixty ceramic discs were fabricated from lithium disilicate, zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate, monolithic zirconia, feldspathic porcelain and polymer-infiltrated ceramic network (n=12/group). Dual-cure resin cement was light-cured through each disc and the degree of conversion; Vickers microhardness and bond strength were measured using FTIR, microhardness testing and a universal testing machine. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences among groups (p<0.001), with lithium disilicate showing the highest values and monolithic zirconia the lowest. Thus, we show that the type of ceramic system significantly influences resin cement polymerization, emphasizing lithium disilicate as the most favorable and monolithic zirconia as the least.