References

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Kelly JR, Campbell SD, Bowen HK. Fracture surface analysis of dental ceramics. J Prosthet Dent. 1989; 62:536-541
Kelly JR, Giordano R, Pober R, Cima MJ. Fracture surface analysis of dental ceramics: clinically failed restorations. Int J Prosthodont. 1990; 3:430-440
Kelly JR. Clinically relevant approach to failure testing of all-ceramic restorations. J Prosthet Dent. 1999; 81:651-661
Scharer P. All-ceramic crown systems: clinical research versus observations in supporting claims. Signature. 1996; 1
Weinstein M, Katz S, Weinstein AB. US Patent No 3,052,982: Porcelain-covered metal-reinforced teeth. 1962;
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Spear FM. The risk of a metal-free practice. J Esthet Rest Dent. 2009; 21:71-74
Sorensen JA, Choi C, Fanuscu MI, Mito WT. IPS Empress crown system: three-year clinical trial results. J Calif Dent Assoc. 1998; 26:130-136
Fradeani M, Aquilino A. Clinical experiences with Empress crowns. Int J Prosthodont. 1997; 10:241-247
Zhao K, Pan Y, Guess PC, Zhang XP, Swain MV. Influence of veneer application on fracture behavior of lithium-disilicate-based ceramic crowns. Dent Mater. 2012; 28:653-660
Zhao K, Wei YR, Pan Y, Zhang XP, Swain MV, Guess PC. Influence of veneer and cyclic loading on failure behavior of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic molar crowns. Dent Mater. 2014; 30:164-171
Papanagiolou HP, Morgano SM, Giordano RA, Pober R. In-vitro evaluation of low-temperature aging effects and finishing procedures on the flexural strength and structural stability of Y-TZB dental ceramics. J Prosthet Dent. 2006; 96:154-164
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Christensen GJ. Porcelain-fused-to-metal versus zirconia-based ceramic restorations. J Am Dent Assoc. 2009; 140:1036-1039
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Sulaiman TA, Abdulmajeed AA, Shahramian K, Lassila L. Effect of different treatments on the flexural strength of fully versus partially stabilized monolithic zirconia. J Prosthet Dent. 2017; 118:216-220
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An evidence-based evaluation of contemporary dental ceramics

From Volume 45, Issue 6, June 2018 | Pages 541-546

Authors

Terry E Donovan

DDS

Professor and Section Head for Biomaterials, Department of Operative Dentistry, UNC School of Dentistry

Articles by Terry E Donovan

Islam Abd Alraheam

DDS

Resident, Graduate Operative Dentistry, UNC School of Dentistry

Articles by Islam Abd Alraheam

Taiseer A Sulaiman

BDS, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Operative Dentistry, UNC School of Dentistry at Chapel Hill, Campus Box #7450, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7450, USA

Articles by Taiseer A Sulaiman

Abstract

Abstract: Based on data from three recently published laboratory surveys with large numbers of different types of contemporary ceramic restorations, specific indications and contra-indications are given. The indications are based on longevity data, aesthetic expectations, tooth position, level of parafunctional activity, tooth reduction requirements, and potential wear of the opposing dentition.

CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article provides an evidence-based guide for clinicians to use when placing contemporary ceramic restorations. The article details which specific ceramic restorations are indicated in specific clinical situations, based on data from laboratory surveys and clinical parameters.

Article

Terry E Donovan

When placing aesthetic crown restorations, contemporary clinicians have a bewildering number of ceramic materials from which to choose. Dentists are also tasked with practising ‘evidence-based’ dentistry and, while there are numerous articles and studies published every year on ceramic materials, the quality of the ‘evidence’ is far from optimum. Almost all ceramic systems are marketed to the profession well before any clinical evidence supporting use of those systems has been published. It is clear that laboratory studies of physical and mechanical properties of ceramic materials provide little predictive evidence of clinical performance of any ceramic system.1 It is also clear that load-to-failure studies of ceramic crowns are not predictive of clinical performance.2, 3 Fatigue testing of ceramic materials under water may prove to be a viable predictive protocol, but the details of such testing have yet to be determined.4 The best method of determining clinical performance of a ceramic material is to conduct randomized, controlled clinical trials.

Two giants in the field of dental ceramics, Peter Sharer and John McLean, suggested that before a clinician uses a new ceramic system, he or she should be provided with evidence gleaned from 5-year independent clinical trials, and that the survival rate of restorations be at least 95%.5 While this is indeed an excellent approach, it is a fact that the time-frame from product inception until study publication for a 5-year clinical trial is close to 10 years (Figure 1). This 10-year lag in data generation renders this approach relatively impractical.

Figure 1. This shows the time it takes from product inception to publication of results of a 5-year clinical trial.

The purpose of this article is to describe an approach (laboratory survey) that provides accurate survival data on new ceramic systems to dentists in a significantly more timely manner. A second purpose is to share with readers that data generated with this laboratory survey approach may assist them in ceramic material selection to meet the specific clinical needs of their patients in an optimal manner.

History

Metal-ceramic crowns using a variety of metal alloys have been the standard aesthetic crown service offered by the majority of dentists since the patent was registered by Weinstein, Katz and Weinstein in 1962.6 For many years it was accepted that metal-ceramic crowns provided a combination of excellent clinical longevity coupled with reasonable aesthetic outcomes.7, 8 However, as patients gradually became more demanding relative to aesthetic outcomes, and dental material science attempted to meet that demand, numerous new ceramic systems were introduced to the market, with the primary driver being improved aesthetic outcomes. Table 1 is a partial list of ceramic systems introduced to the market since the early 1980s.


Ceramic System Manufacturer
Aluminous Core PJC Vita Zahnfabrik
CaptekTM Argen
Cerestore Coors Biomedical
Dicor Dentsply International and Corning Glass
High-Ceram Vita Zahnfabrik
Willi's Glass Dentsply
IPS Empress Ivoclar Vivadent
Optec Jeneric/Pentron
Empress II Ivoclar Vivadent
IPS Eris Ivoclar Vivadent
IPS e.max Ivoclar Vivadent
In-Ceram (spinell, alumina, zirconia) Vita Zahnfabrik
Procera® AllCeram Nobel Biocare
Layered zirconia eg LavaTM 3MTM–ESPETM (many others)
Monolithic zirconia eg BruxZir®, Zenostar®, KatanaTM Glidewell, Wieland, Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc

While some of the new ceramic systems did provide improved aesthetic results, it was clear that clinical longevity was significantly compromised with most of the early materials.9, 10 The first alternative to show promise in this regard was layered IPS Empress (Ivoclar), which demonstrated 95% survival at 5 years, but on anterior teeth only.11, 12 Survival rates with posterior teeth were lower at approximately 80%. IPS Empress is a leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic with a flexural strength of approximately 160 MPa. This ceramic material provides excellent aesthetic results, but is currently rarely used due to the emergence of improved materials.

Contemporary ceramic materials

While the impetus for early ceramic crown systems was the desire to obtain predictably superior aesthetic results compared to metal-ceramic crowns, the primary driver for use of contemporary ceramic materials is cost. While excellent aesthetic results are still imperative, the costs of precious metals (gold, platinum, palladium) has escalated considerably in recent years, resulting in very high laboratory costs for metal-ceramic restorations. Because of the elimination of metal costs and digital manufacturing efficiencies, the laboratory costs for contemporary ceramic restorations are substantially lower than for metal-ceramic restorations.

The contemporary ceramic materials that are the primary focus of this article are lithium disilicate (IPS e.MAX, Ivoclar) and zirconia (many manufacturers). Lithium disilicate and zirconia ceramics can be used both as layered or monolithic restorations. Monolithic lithium disilicate materials have flexural strengths of around 400 MPa and the layered version is somewhat weaker.13, 14 In general, monolithic restorations are stronger than layered restorations, but layered crowns provide improved aesthetic outcomes. Layered crowns are generally indicated for anterior teeth, while monolithic materials are appropriate for posterior restorations where aesthetics is not as critical. Lithium disilicate materials can be etched and bonded and can be used successfully as crowns with traditional retentive preparations and also as onlays and partial veneer restorations with contemporary conservative non-retentive preparations (Figure 2a, b).

Figure 2. (a) Pre-operative view of a maxillary first molar with a defective amalgam and fractured disto-lingual cusp. (b) The tooth in (a) has been restored with a DOL bonded lithium disilicate onlay.

Monolithic zirconia materials have flexural strengths as high as 1400 MPa, but lack the translucency essential for excellent aesthetic outcomes.15 Their use is primarily limited to posterior teeth. Layered zirconia restorations have improved aesthetic outcomes but early versions of layered zirconia suffered from unacceptable high levels of chipping of the veneering ceramic.16, 17 The chipping did not occur at the interface between the core and veneering ceramic, but rather presented as cohesive fractures in the body of the veneering ceramic. While such chipping did not always necessitate replacement of the restoration, chipping rates were significantly higher than chipping rates with metal-ceramic crowns.18

There are two primary potential aetiologies for the excessive chipping rates initially noted for zirconia cored restorations. The first is related to the thermal conductivity of zirconia, which is very low compared to that of metals traditionally used for ceramic bonding. As a result of this, when the zirconia-based crown is removed from the ceramic oven, the veneering ceramic cools faster than the core. After the veneering ceramic cools past its glass-transition temperature as it cools to bench temperature, the core material continues to cool and shrink very slowly. This builds up stress in the veneering ceramic which is expressed clinically sometime later in the form of chipping. This problem has been addressed by adopting modified slow cooling protocols, which has been shown to increase the strength of the veneering ceramic and, hopefully, reduce the incidence of chipping.19

The second cause of chipping has been a lack of proper support of the veneering ceramic by the core. The industry standard is that the maximum thickness of veneering ceramic should never exceed 2mm, regardless of the core material. When fabricating zirconia-cored crowns, the die is scanned and a core of uniform thickness is milled, not taking into account the thickness of the veneering ceramic. The core will exactly follow the shape of the tooth preparation which, if less than ideal, will often result in lack of support. If the laboratory technician recognized the lack of support, the shape of the core could be adjusted using computer software, but the reality is that this procedure is rarely carried out in commercial laboratories. Most manufacturers have addressed this problem and now have computer software that first completes a virtual full contour ‘wax-up’ of the restoration and then virtually cuts that back, allowing for proper support of the veneering ceramic by the core. Hopefully, the problems related to excessive chipping with layered zirconia have been addressed.

Yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal restorative ceramic is the most robust ceramic material and was the basis for most of the original zirconia-based systems. However, as mentioned previously, these materials lack translucency. In an attempt to improve translucency, new generations of zirconia, using more yttria and cubic phase zirconia have been developed and have been brought to market.20 These materials have modest improvements in translucency, but have less than half the flexural strength of the original materials and have less toughness because they do not have the ability to undergo stress-induced transformation21 (Figure 3). These materials are being marketed for use in the anterior region of the oral cavity. Clinicians are advised to use these materials with caution until evidence of their clinical viability is available.

Figure 3. This graph depicts the differences in flexural strength of commonly used contemporary ceramic materials.

A number of protocols have been developed to attempt to bond to zirconia. All involve air-particle abrasion, use of an MDP containing primer (Clearfil SE Bond, Kuraray; Z Prime, Bisco; Scotchbond Universal, 3M-ESPE) and resin cement.22 All studies related to the effectiveness of these protocols have used shear bond testing which is notoriously limited in its ability to predict clinical performance.23All protocols achieve relatively weak bonds to zirconia and these bonds decrease significantly with any type of ageing. Air particle abrasion of zirconia is risky because it has the potential to weaken the material. In the opinion of the authors, bonding to zirconia restorations is not a predictable procedure at this time, and zirconia restorations should be used only with traditional preparations with adequate resistance and retention form.

It should be noted that zirconia materials have a strong affinity for proteins found in saliva and blood. These proteins cannot easily be removed from the intaglio surface of crowns, which are contaminated during try-in. After try-in, the internal surface of the crowns should be cleaned for 20 seconds with a sodium hydroxide solution (Ivoclean, Ivoclar) and then washed with water. Crowns should be cemented with a self-adhesive resin cement (Rely X Unicem, 3M-ESPE) or resin-modified glass ionomer cement (Rely X Luting Cement Plus, 3M-ESPE).

One of the benefits of monolithic zirconia crowns is that they require less tooth reduction than metal-ceramic or glass-ceramic crowns. Basically, 1 mm occlusal reduction with 8/10 mm axial reduction with a well-defined chamfer margin is optimal. The preparation should have adequate resistance and retention form, as mentioned previously. Crown preparations for layered zirconia and monolithic or layered lithium disilicate should have 1.5 mm reduction on the occlusal or incisal surface and 1.2 mm reduction axially.

Wear of opposing enamel or restorative material has been a concern with ceramic materials. Conventional ceramic materials will cause abrasion of enamel if they are in gliding contact with opposing natural teeth. Several studies have clearly identified that polished zirconia is extremely kind to opposing enamel.24, 25, 26, 27 It seems reasonable that the laboratory polish zirconia crowns prior to glazing so that when the glaze wears away, a polished surface results.

Survival rates

One systematic review analysed available clinical trials on lithium disilicate restorations and reported favourable results.27 The survival rate of lithium silicate single crowns was 100% at 2 years and 98% at 5 years, while the failure rate of fixed partial dentures (FPDs) was unacceptably high. Unfortunately, the studies analysed in the review were of relatively poor quality, so the validity of the findings is somewhat questionable.

An alternative approach to clinical trials has been the use of dental laboratory surveys of fractured ceramic restorations.28, 29, 30 Contemporary dental laboratories have excellent computer-based programs to track returns, and access to this data provides timely feedback on the clinical performance of their restorations. While such surveys do not replace the need for properly conducted clinical trials, they do provide relatively accurate and timely information to practitioners to help guide them in their choice of ceramic materials. The laboratory survey approach also results in evaluation of survival rates of large numbers of restorations. Successful use of these surveys requires three assumptions:

  • The surveyed dental laboratories provide a 5-year warranty which will replace fractured ceramic restorations free of charge;
  • Patients with fractured restorations will return to the treating dentist in order to take advantage of the laboratory's warranty; and
  • The treating dentist will remake the fractured restoration with the original laboratory, again, to take advantage of the warranty.
  • A laboratory survey of 21,337 lithium disilicate restorations in place for up to 45 months was published in 2015.28 The failure rate of monolithic lithium disilicate single crowns was very low at 0.91%, and for layered single crowns was double that of monolithic crowns at 1.83%, which is still well below Sharer's criteria. Failure rates for bonded ceramic inlays and onlays was also very low at 1.01%. Failure rate of FPDs was 4.55%.

    Another laboratory survey of monolithic zirconia restorations was published in 2016, while another related to layered zirconia restorations was published in 2017.29, 30 Both surveys reported favourable results. Combining data from both studies related to single crowns, out of a total of 54,708 single crowns, the failure rate for monolithic zirconia crowns was 0.71% at 5 years. For layered zirconia single crowns, the failure rate was 3.25%, a 4–5 times higher rate of fracture, reflecting the chipping problem that occurred with the introductory layered zirconia materials. Monolithic FPDs failed at a rate of 2.62% at 5 years, which was an improvement over the fracture rate for lithium disilicate FPDs.

    The data from the three referenced laboratory surveys is quite compelling (Table 2). The most commonly used ceramic materials in contemporary dental practice are lithium disilicate and zirconia. Both monolithic and layered versions of both systems are used extensively, despite the lack of convincing evidence of the efficacy of these systems. Data from these surveys validates what is happening in contemporary practices. Both systems provide aesthetic, economical alternatives to metal-ceramic restorations.


    Restoration Type Single Crowns Fixed Partial Dentures Onlay Restorations
    Units Fracture Fracture (%) Units Fracture Fracture (%) Units Fracture Fracture %
    Monolithic E.max 11603 106 0.91 1494 68 4.55 1093 11 1.01
    Layered E.max 4162 76 1.83 - - - - - -
    Monolithic Zirconia 31760 224 0.71 8067 211 2.62 - - -
    Layered Zirconia 22948 745 3.25 8646 300 3.47 - - -

    Indications

    The following indications for ceramic system use are based upon the best available clinical evidence:

  • Fixed partial dentures: metal-ceramic should be the material of choice for FPDs, but monolithic zirconia FPDs can be considered if economics is a consideration.
  • Single anterior crowns: layered lithium disilicate provides the best combination of aesthetic outcomes and survivability. With bruxing patients, layered zirconia with polished zirconia on the palatal surface provide reasonable aesthetics, along with lack of wear to the opposing dentition.
  • Premolars: depending on the aesthetic demands and parafunctional activity of the patient, monolithic lithium disilicate or zirconia, and layered zirconia could be considered.
  • Molars: monolithic zirconia crowns provide the best combination of minimal tooth reduction, economics, and lack of opposing wear with acceptable aesthetics.
  • Mandibular incisors: monolithic zirconia crowns are indicated primarily because of the possibility of minimal tooth reduction.
  • Bonded ceramic onlays and partial veneers: etched, bonded lithium disilicate restorations are the clear winners. The most important data presented in this article is that, at 45 months, lithium disilicate onlays had a failure rate of 1.1%. With the prevailing philosophy of minimally invasive dentistry and the call for additive versus subtractive procedures, it is clear that many teeth previously restored with crowns can now be effectively restored with conservative bonded ceramic materials. This also greatly improves the efficacy of in-office CAD-CAM procedures.
  • Conclusions

    It is clear that contemporary dentists are able to utilize ceramic materials that have adequate aesthetic outcomes and improved clinical longevity. The new systems also offer considerable economic advantages over metal-ceramics. Laboratory surveys do not replace the need for properly conducted clinical trials but do provide timely information on survival rates of a large number of ceramic crowns.