Zirconia-based dental crown to support a removable partial denture: a three-dimensional finite element analysis using contact elements and micro-CT data

• Published in: Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering Vol. 18; no. 16; pp. 1744 - 1752
• Main Authors: Rocha, Eduardo Passos, Anchieta, Rodolfo Bruniera, de Almeida, Erika Oliveira, Freitas, Amilcar Chagas, Martini, Ana Paula, Sotto-Maior, Bruno Sales, Luersen, Marco Antonio, Ko, Ching Chang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 10-12-2015
• Subjects: Animals; Crowns; Dental Stress Analysis - methods; Denture, Partial, Removable; Dogs; Finite Element Analysis; fixed partial denture; Gold - chemistry; Humans; Materials Testing; removable partial denture; Stress, Mechanical; X-Ray Microtomography; Zirconium - pharmacology; zirconium oxide; fixed partial denture; removable partial denture; finite element analysis; zirconium oxide
• ISSN: 1025-5842; 1476-8259
• DOI: 10.1080/10255842.2014.951927

Veneer fracture is the most common complication in zirconia-based restorations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mechanical behavior of a zirconia-based crown in a lower canine tooth supporting removable partial denture (RPD) prosthesis, varying the bond quality of the veneer/coping interface. Microtomography (μCT) data of an extracted left lower canine were used to build the finite element model (M) varying the core material (gold core - M
Au
; zirconia core - M
Zi
) and the quality of the veneer/core interface (complete bonded - M
Zi
; incomplete bonded - M
Zi-NL
). The incomplete bonding condition was only applied for zirconia coping by using contact elements (Target/Contact) with 0.3 frictional coefficients. Stress fields were obtained using Ansys Workbench 10.0. The loading condition (L = 1 N) was vertically applied at the base of the RPD prosthesis metallic support towards the dental apex. Maximum principal (σ
max
) and von Mises equivalent (σ
vM
) stresses were obtained. The σ
max
(MPa) for the bonded condition was similar between gold and zirconia cores (M
Au
, 0.42; M
Zi,
0.40). The incomplete bonded condition (M
Zi-NL
) raised σ
max
in the veneer up to 800% (3.23 MPa) in contrast to the bonded condition. The peak of σ
vM
increased up to 270% in the M
Zi-NL
. The incomplete bond condition increasing the stress in the veneer/zirconia interface.