title: Chairside CAD/CAM materials. Part 2: Flexural strength testing.
abstract: Strength is one of the preferred parameters used in dentistry for determining clinical indication of dental restoratives. However, small dimensions of CAD/CAM blocks limit reliable measurements with standardized uniaxial bending tests. The objective of this study was to introduce the ball-on-three-ball (B3B) biaxial strength test for dental for small CAD/CAM block in the context of the size effect on strength predicted by the Weibull theory.
  
  
  
  Eight representative chairside CAD/CAM materials ranging from polycrystalline zirconia (e.max ZirCAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent), reinforced glasses (Vitablocs Mark II, VITA; Empress CAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent) and glass-ceramics (e.max CAD, Ivoclar-Vivadent; Suprinity, VITA; Celtra Duo, Dentsply) to hybrid materials (Enamic, VITA; Lava Ultimate, 3M ESPE) have been selected. Specimens were prepared with highly polished surfaces in rectangular plate (12×12×1.2mm3) or round disc (Ø=12mm, thickness=1.2mm) geometries. Specimens were tested using the B3B assembly and the biaxial strength was determined using calculations derived from finite element analyses of the respective stress fields. Size effects on strength were determined based on results from 4-point-bending specimens.
  
  
  
  A good agreement was found between the biaxial strength results for the different geometries (plates vs. discs) using the B3B test. Strength values ranged from 110.9MPa (Vitablocs Mark II) to 1303.21MPa (e.max ZirCAD). The strength dependency on specimen size was demonstrated through the calculated effective volume/surface.
  
  
  
  The B3B test has shown to be a reliable and simple method for determining the biaxial strength restorative materials supplied as small CAD/CAM blocks. A flexible solution was made available for the B3B test in the rectangular plate geometry.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Zahnklinik 1-Zahnerhaltung und Parodontologie, Forschungslabor für dentale Biomaterialien, Glueckstrasse 11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wendler
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Zahnklinik 1-Zahnerhaltung und Parodontologie, Forschungslabor für dentale Biomaterialien, Glueckstrasse 11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Renan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Belli
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Zahnklinik 1-Zahnerhaltung und Parodontologie, Forschungslabor für dentale Biomaterialien, Glueckstrasse 11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anselm
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petschelt
authors.affiliation: Institut für Struktur- und Funktionskeramik, Montanuniversität Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mevec
authors.affiliation: Institut für Struktur- und Funktionskeramik, Montanuniversität Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harrer
authors.affiliation: Institut für Struktur- und Funktionskeramik, Montanuniversität Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lube
authors.affiliation: Institut für Struktur- und Funktionskeramik, Montanuniversität Leoben, A-8700 Leoben, Austria.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Danzer
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Zahnklinik 1-Zahnerhaltung und Parodontologie, Forschungslabor für dentale Biomaterialien, Glueckstrasse 11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany. Electronic address: ulrich.lohbauer@fau.de.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lohbauer
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003764:Dental Materials; D003776:Dental Porcelain; D008422:Materials Testing
chemical_list: D003764:Dental Materials; D003776:Dental Porcelain
keywords: 4-point bending; B3B-test; Biaxial strength; CAD/CAM; Dental ceramics; Resin composites