Influence of tooth preparation on stress distribution of CAD/CAM all-ceramic crowns: A 3D finite element analysis.

Abstract

Dental prosthetic crowns have been constructed of various metals, porcelain fused to metal, or ceramics. These crowns are constructed by technicians in a laboratory on models of the prepared teeth using various techniques including casting and sintering. The parameters to which the dentist prepares the abutment tooth, is according to clinical and laboratory considerations and favours the physical properties of the crown material. The pattern of preparation was adapted, depending on the material of choice, to conform to the properties of the material. With the introduction of optical scanning, computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacture (CAM) into dentistry, much has changed from the traditional methods of abutment tooth preparation and crown fabrication. Teeth prepared by dentists that will be scanned and restored with CAD/CAM restorations, need to conform to certain preparation parameters. These parameters optimise the accuracy of milling, the efficiency of the scanner and ultimately the restoration.