Marginal fit of electroformed ceramometal crowns.
OBJECTIVE
A method of fabricating ceramometal crowns using gold copings produced by an electroforming process has been described, which purportedly results in restorations exhibiting an excellent marginal fit. This study compares the fit of electroformed ceramometal crowns with ceramometal crowns fabricated using conventional lost wax casting techniques.


METHODS
Electroformed and conventional ceramometal crowns were fabricated for prepared extracted teeth. Specimens were cemented, embedded in acrylic resin, sectioned, polished, photographed, and measured to compare marginal fit.


RESULTS
Marginal fit of electroformed ceramometal crowns was superior to the fit of ceramometal crowns fabricated using conventional casting techniques. The difference was statistically significant at a P = .05 level.


CONCLUSIONS
Crowns utilizing copings fabricated by electroforming methods appear to have a fit superior to conventional ceramometal crowns fabricated using copings made by lost wax casting. The ease in laboratory electroforming techniques and the esthetic advantages of a gold-colored coping can be capitalized on without concerns of a poorer fit.
Holmes
J R
JR
Division of Fixed Prosthodontics, Medical University of South Carolina, College of Dental Medicine, Charleston 29425, USA.
Pilcher
E S
ES
Rivers
J A
JA
Stewart
R M
RM
D003442:Crowns; D003735:Dental Casting Technique; D018772:Dental Marginal Adaptation; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design / Q000379:methods*; D004595:Electroplating; D006047:Gold Alloys; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D006047:Gold Alloys; D016876:Metal Ceramic Alloys