Mechanical performance of patient-specific prefabricated temporary shell versus laboratory-fabricated CAD/CAM provisional implant-supported single-tooth restorations: A laboratory study

Objective

To evaluate the mechanical performance of patient-specific prefabricated temporary shell versus laboratory-fabricated CAD/CAM provisional restorations on titanium temporary abutments, with and without thermo-mechanical ageing.

Materials and Methods

Implants with a conical connection were divided into four groups (n = 24) and restored with temporary shell or laboratory-fabricated central or lateral incisor PMMA restorations that were relined or bonded on titanium temporary abutments. The diameter of the central and lateral incisor groups' implants was regular (ϕ 4.3 mm) or narrow (ϕ 3.5 mm), respectively. Half of each group's specimens were subjected to ageing, simultaneous thermocycling (5–55°C) and chewing simulation (120,000 cycles, 50 N, 1.7 Hz) resulting in eight groups in total (n = 12). The aged specimens were evaluated with optical microscopy, and survival and complication rates were determined according to modified USPHS criteria. The non-aged specimens and those that had survived ageing were loaded until failure, whereupon bending moments were calculated.

Results

Survival rates after ageing were 100% for all groups. Apart from wear facets (ϕ 2–3 mm) on the palatal restoration surface, no complications were observed. The mean fracture load and bending moments ranged between 597.6–847.1 N and 433.3–550.6 Ncm, respectively, with no significant differences between the eight groups (p = .25; p = .20).

Conclusions

As patient-specific temporary shell central and lateral incisor provisional implant-supported restorations are mechanically stable enough to withstand clinical bite forces, even after thermo-mechanical ageing, they may serve as an alternative to laboratory-fabricated provisional restorations.