Premolar cuspal flexure as a function of restorative material and occlusal contact location.
OBJECTIVE
To measure cuspal flexure of intact and restored maxillary premolars with different restorative materials and occlusal contacts.


METHODS
Micro?computed tomography data were used to generate finite-element models with a mesio-occlusaldistal (MOD) cavity preparation and the corresponding restoration. The tooth parts were imported in finite-element software to create 3D volumetric models. Occlusal loading either in enamel, at restoration margin, or in restorative material was simulated by linear contact analysis. Cuspal widening was measured for the different contact locations and restorative conditions (unaltered tooth, MOD porcelain, and composite-inlay restorations).


RESULTS
For a given material property, contacts in restoration generated the least amount of cuspal deformation, followed by the enamel contacts and contacts at restoration margin. Models of the intact tooth and ceramic inlay behaved similarly (cuspal widening at 100 N ranging from 1.8 to 3.0 microm and 1.6 to 2.6 microm, respectively). Cuspal flexure was increased in the MOD composite resin restorations (3.4 to 5.7 microm at 100 N of axial force). The least amount of deformation was generated in the ceramic inlay with contacts in only restoration (1.6 microm at 100 N) and the largest in the composite inlay with contacts at restoration margins (5.7 microm at 100 N). For the composite restoration, antagonist contacts at restoration margins were less favorable compared to located on either enamel or the restoration itself.


CONCLUSIONS
A relatively small cuspal deformation was observed in all models. There is an increased cusp-stabilizing effect of ceramic inlays compared to composite ones.
Magne
Pascal
P
University of Southern California, School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, California 90089-7792, USA.magne@usc.edu
Oganesyan
Tevan
T
D001641:Bicuspid / Q000503:physiopathology; D001732:Bite Force; D003188:Composite Resins; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D020342:Finite Element Analysis; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D007284:Inlays; D023861:Photography, Dental; D012984:Software; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000503:physiopathology*
D003188:Composite Resins; D003776:Dental Porcelain