The effect of tooth preparation design on the breaking strength of Dicor crowns: Part 1.

Six maxillary first premolar all-ceramic tooth preparation designs were tested for their effect on the strength of Dicor crowns. Ten crowns were fabricated for each preparation design, and their breaking strengths were measured. Three finish line designs (1.2-mm shoulder with sharp axiogingival line angle, 1.2-mm shoulder with rounded axiogingival line angle, and 0.8-mm chamfer) and two total occlusal convergence angles (10 degrees and 20 degrees) were tested. All preparations possessed 2.0 mm of occlusal reduction. The average breaking strengths of the 10 Dicor crowns were compared to that of 10 metal ceramic control restorations. The tooth preparation with a 1.2-mm shoulder finish line, sharp axiogingival line angle, and 10 degrees of total occlusal convergence produced the strongest Dicor crowns (88.6 kg). The weakest restorations were observed when a 0.8-mm chamfer finish line (66.8 kg) was used. The metal ceramic restorations were significantly stronger (247.45 kg) than the strongest Dicor crowns (88.6 kg).