Sergio Giner1, José F Bartolomé2, Pablo Gomez-Cogolludo3, Carlos Castellote4, Guillermo Pradíes5. 1. Researcher, Department of Buccofacial Prosthesis, Faculty of Odontology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. 2. Researcher, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (ICMM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: jbartolo@icmm.csic.es. 3. Associate Professor, Department of Buccofacial Prostheses, Faculty of Odontology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. 4. Professor, Department of Industrial and Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University Europea of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. 5. Professor and Head, Department of Buccofacial Prosthesis, Faculty of Odontology, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Abstract
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Zirconia abutments with a titanium base are promising candidates to substitute for titanium abutments based on clinical studies reporting good short-term survival rates. However, information on the long-term performance of zirconia abutments supporting ceramic crowns is scarce. PURPOSE: This in vitro comparative and finite element analysis study compared the fatigue life performance of ceramic computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) monolithic restorations and zirconia abutments fabricated with a chairside workflow connected to a titanium interface versus titanium abutments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-two internal connection implants were divided into 2 groups, one with a zirconia abutment and monolithic ceramic zirconia crown (ZZ) and the other with a titanium abutment and zirconia crown (TiZ). They were subjected to a fatigue test to determine the fatigue limit and fatigue performance of each group as per International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14801. Microstructural analysis of the fracture surfaces was conducted by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Simulations of the in vitro study were also conducted by means of finite element analysis (FEA) to assess the stress distribution over the different parts of the restoration. RESULTS: The fatigue limit was 250 N for the TiZ group and 325 N for the ZZ group. In both groups, the screw was the part most susceptible to fatigue and was where the failure initiated. In the zirconia abutment models, the stress on the screw was reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Chairside CAD-CAM zirconia abutments with a titanium base supporting zirconia crowns had higher fatigue fracture resistance compared with that of titanium abutments.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Zirconia abutments with a titanium base are promising candidates to substitute for titanium abutments based on clinical studies reporting good short-term survival rates. However, information on the long-term performance of zirconia abutments supporting ceramic crowns is scarce. PURPOSE: This in vitro comparative and finite element analysis study compared the fatigue life performance of ceramic computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) monolithic restorations and zirconia abutments fabricated with a chairside workflow connected to a titanium interface versus titanium abutments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-two internal connection implants were divided into 2 groups, one with a zirconia abutment and monolithic ceramic zirconia crown (ZZ) and the other with a titanium abutment and zirconia crown (TiZ). They were subjected to a fatigue test to determine the fatigue limit and fatigue performance of each group as per International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14801. Microstructural analysis of the fracture surfaces was conducted by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Simulations of the in vitro study were also conducted by means of finite element analysis (FEA) to assess the stress distribution over the different parts of the restoration. RESULTS: The fatigue limit was 250 N for the TiZ group and 325 N for the ZZ group. In both groups, the screw was the part most susceptible to fatigue and was where the failure initiated. In the zirconia abutment models, the stress on the screw was reduced. CONCLUSIONS: Chairside CAD-CAM zirconia abutments with a titanium base supporting zirconia crowns had higher fatigue fracture resistance compared with that of titanium abutments.