Influence of resin cement polymerization shrinkage on stresses in porcelain crowns

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of polymerization shrinkage of the cement layer on stresses within feldspathic ceramic crowns, using experimentally validated FEA models for (1) increasing occlusal cement thickness; and, (2) bonded versus non-bonded ceramic-cement interfaces. Methods 2-D axial symmetric models simulated stylized feldspathic crowns (1.5 mm occlusal thickness) cemented with resin-cement layers of 50–500 μm on dentin preparations, being loaded (500 N) or not. Ceramic–cement interface was either bonded or not. Cement was bonded to the dentin in all models. Maximum axial shrinkage of 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 4.65% were simulated. The first principal stresses developing in the cementation surface at the center and at the occluso-axial line-angle of the crown were registered. Results Polymerization shrinkage of the cement increased tensile stresses in the ceramic, especially in loaded non-bonded crowns for thicker cement layers. Stresses in loaded non-bonded crowns increased as much as 87% when cement shrinkage increased from 0% to 4.65% (100–187 MPa), for a 500 μm-thick cement. Increasing polymerization shrinkage strain raised the tensile stresses, especially at the internal occlusal-axial line-angle, for bonded crowns. Significance Changes in the polymerization shrinkage strain (from 0% to 4.65%) have little effect on the tensile stresses generated at the cementation surface of the ceramic crowns, when the occlusal cement thickness is thin (approx. 50 μm for bonded crowns). However, as the cement becomes thicker stresses within the ceramic become significant.