Convergence angles of all-ceramic full crown preparations performed in Dubai private practice

This study aimed to determine the degree of taper and total occlusal convergence angles (TOC) for all-ceramic bonded crown preparations carried out by private practitioners in Dubai, UAE. A convenience sample of all-ceramic crown preparations carried out by private dental practitioners were scanned (Carestream CS 3500) from casts and the digital images assessed. The degree of taper was measured on the axial walls of each crown preparation and the bucco-lingual and mesio-distal convergence angles subsequently calculated. A total of 154 dentists prepared a total of 206 crown preparations (72 anterior, 134 posterior). The mean convergence angles mesio-distally for all preparations was 24.6° (sd 11.8º), and for the bucco-lingual it was 32.6° (sd 15.3°). The mean TOC was 28.6°. In anterior preparations, the mean bucco-lingual convergence angle was 38.8° (sd 12.2°) compared to 29.3° (sd 15.5°) for posterior preparations (