• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the marginal and mesial fitness of zirconia single copings and 3-unit fixed partial dentures (FPDs) manufactured with an identical model. Materials and Methods: An epoxy model in which the maxillary right 2nd premolar is lost and maxillary 1st premolar and 2nd molar are formed as abutments was manufactured and scanned by using a laser scanner. A ten units of zirconia single copings were manufactured for maxillary 1st premolar and 2nd molar, respectively and the same number of 3-unit FPDs were manufactured. For the measurements of fitness, the manufactured silicone replicas were divided into four parts and the fitness were measured by digital microscope at measurement points (P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5) of each plane. The measured gaps were classified into three categories: marginal gap (MG, P1), axial gap (AG, average of P2 and P3), occlusal gap (OG, average of P4 and P5). Results: The ranges of MG, AG and OG for single copings were 18.47 - 40.54 ${\mu}m$, 39.73 - 73.61 ${\mu}m$ and 116.90 - 134.69 ${\mu}m$, respectively. The ranges of MG, AG and OG for 3-unit FPDs were 45.95 - 87.44 ${\mu}m$, 23.78 - 57.00 ${\mu}m$ and 99.89 - 131.06 ${\mu}m$, respectively. Conclusion: The result of the study shows that the MGs for 3-unit FPDs were higher than those of single copings, though they are within the range of clinical acceptance, indicating that the use of more homogeneous zirconia block and modification of sintering processes are needed to ensure the prevention of increase of gap in 3-unit FPDs.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.72-81
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the marginal and internal fit of 3-unit monolithic zirconia fixed partial dentures (FPDs) fabricated via computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) from solid working casts and removable die system. Materials and Methods: The tooth preparation protocol for a zirconia crown was executed on the mandibular right first premolar and mandibular right first molar, with the creation of a reference cast featuring an absent mandibular right second premolar. The reference cast was duplicated using polyvinyl siloxane impression, from which 20 working casts were fabricated following typical dental laboratory procedures. For comparative analysis, 10 FPDs were produced from a removable die system (RD group) and the remaining 10 FPDs from the solid working casts (S group). The casts were digitized using a dental desktop scanner to establish virtual casts and design the FPDs using CAD. The definitive 3-unit monolithic zirconia FPDs were fabricated via a CAM milling process. The seated FPDs on the reference cast underwent digital evaluation for marginal and internal fit. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied for statistical comparison between the two groups (α = 0.05). Results: The RD group showed significantly higher discrepancies in fit for both premolars and molars compared to the S group (P < 0.05), particularly in terms of marginal and occlusal gaps. Color mapping also highlighted more significant deviations in the RD group, especially in the marginal and occlusal regions. Conclusion: The study found that the discrepancies in marginal and occlusal fits of 3-unit monolithic zirconia FPDs were primarily associated with those fabricated using the removable die system. This indicates the significant impact of the fabrication method on the accuracy of FPDs.