Aim: To evaluate the fracture load and type of failure of two different monolithic restorative materials bonded to standardized titanium bases and fabricated by two different procedures regarding the bonding interface. Materials and methods: All screw-retained implant crown specimens (n = 40), subjected to fatigue by thermomechanical loading, differed in the restorative material (lithium disilicate [LDS] or polymer-infiltrated ceramic network [PICN], referred to as ‘hybrid ceramic’ [HYC]) and the interface type between the restorative material and the titanium base abutment (prefabricated ex-factory or produced during a CAM-milling procedure). This resulted in the following groups (n = 10/group): 1) LDS-M: lithium disilicate crown with a CAM-milled interface; 2) LDS-P: lithium disilicate crown with a prefabricated interface; 3) HYC-M: PICN crown with a CAM-milled interface; and 4) HYC-P: PICN crown with a prefabricated interface. Aged specimens underwent static fracture load testing. The load (N) at which the initial crack occurred was denoted as Finitial, and the maximal load (N) at which the restorations fractured as Fmax. All specimens were examined under a stereomicroscope to determine the failure mode. Results: The median Finitial values were 180 N for LDS-M, 343 N for LDS-P, 340 N for HYC-M, and 190 N for HYC-P. The median Fmax values were 1822 N for LDS-M, 2039 N for LDS-P, 1454 N for HYC-M, and 1581 N for HYC-P. The intergroup differences were significant for Finitial (KW: P = 0.0042) and for Fmax (KW: P = 0.0010). The failure types also showed differences between the restorative groups. Conclusions: The choice of restorative material had a stronger influence on the fracture load than the abutment interface workflow. Lithium disilicate showed the highest load for initial crack appearance (Finitial) and for complete fracture of the restoration (Fmax). Keywords: lithium disilicate, dental materials, polymer-infiltrated ceramic network, thermomechanical aging, fracture load, failure mode, prosthetic dentistry, restorative material, abutment interface

Purpose: To evaluate the minimum ceramic thickness needed to increase the lightness by one value by means of glass-ceramic restorations, as perceived by dental technicians, dentists, and laypersons. Materials and Methods: A total of 15 assessment pairs (= reference and test sample) were formed using glass-ceramic blocks in four different colors. Each assessment pair was comprised of two underground blocks differing by one value of lightness. On top of the underground blocks, glass-ceramic platelets were cemented in 5 different thicknesses (0.1 to 0.5 mm) in the same color as the reference. Dental technicians, dentists, and laypersons (n = 41/group) were asked to determine the presence of a color difference between the two samples under standardized light conditions. The threshold ceramic thickness was defined as the thickness at which ≥ 50% of the evaluators were not able to perceive a difference within an assessment pair. The thresholds were analyzed, and groups were compared by applying chi-square test (P < .05). Results: The majority of dentists and dental technicians (> 50%) detected a lightness difference between test and reference samples up to a ceramic thickness of 0.5 mm. The majority of laypersons (≥ 50%) did not perceive lightness differences with ceramic thicknesses of 0.5 mm. If separated by the different color changes, the threshold ceramic thickness started at 0.4 mm and varied within the groups of evaluators and the lightness of the assessed color. Conclusions: A considerable number of evaluators perceived a lightness difference when minimally invasive ceramic restorations of 0.5-mm thickness were applied. The threshold ceramic thickness, however, was reduced when the lightness of the substrate was lower.

Begleitend zu der stetig steigenden Nachfrage nach monolithischen Zirkonoxid-Restaurationen, drängt die Methode der minimalen Verblendung und Bemalung zunehmend in den Vordergrund. Das sogenannte Mikrolayering oder die sogenannten 3-D-Massen gelten als Schlüsselbegriffe dieser Konzepte. Die momentane wissenschaftliche Datenlage zu diesen Systemen, bestehend aus Mal-, Textur- und Glasurmassen, ist unzureichend. Zahlreiche Anwenderbeispiele spiegeln positive Bewertungen hinsichtlich Ästhetik, Reproduzierbarkeit und Effizienz wider. Keywords: Mikrolayering, 3-D-Massen, Zirkonoxid, Pastenkeramik, Minimalschichtung

Wenn bei Patientinnen und Patienten restaurativer Bedarf besteht, so macht es aus biologischer Sicht Sinn, möglichst substanzschonend zu arbeiten. Nebst konventionellen Herstellungsverfahren stehen heute auch subtraktive und additive Verfahren für die Herstellung von minimal-invasiven Restaurationen zur Verfügung. Besonders im Zusammenhang mit minimal-invasiven dünnen Restaurationen zeigen subtraktive Fertigungstechniken ihre Limitationen. Die additive Fertigung von Keramiken für minimal-invasive Restaurationen birgt deshalb großes Potenzial. Erste In-vitro-Versuche liefern hoffnungsvolle Ergebnisse. Diese müssen jedoch noch weiter in vitro und später klinisch bestätigt werden. Keywords: additive Fertigung, minimal-invasive Restaurationen, Lithiumdisilikat, Passung, Belastbarkeit

Purpose: To measure the effect of simulated aging on stained resin-ceramic CAD/CAM materials regarding the durability of color and gloss. Materials and Methods: Test specimens (n = 15 per material) were prepared out of CAD/CAM ingots from two resin nanoceramics (Lava Ultimate [LVU], Cerasmart [CER]) and a polymerinfiltrated ceramic (ENA, VITA Enamic) stained with the manufacturer’s recommended staining kit using photopolymerization. Control specimens were made of feldspathic ceramic (VITA Mark II [VM2]) and stained by means of ceramic firing. Negative control specimens (n = 15) (no staining) were prepared for each group. Color and gloss measurements were performed before and after each aging cycle by means of mechanical abrasion with a toothbrush. Groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test and paired post hoc Conover test. Changes within a group were calculated using Wilcoxon signed-rank test (α = .05). Results: The color difference (ΔE) was statistically significant for all stained CAD/CAM materials after simulated aging: CER (P < .001, 95% CI: 2.96 to 3.69), LVU (P = .004, 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.46), ENA (P = .004, 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.42), and VM2 (P < .001, 95% CI: 0.29 to 1.08). Aging resulted in a statistically significant increase in gloss in the LVU group (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 13.78 to 17.29), whereas in the ENA (P < .001, 95% CI: 7.83 to 12.72), CER (P < .001, 95% CI: 2.69 to 8.44), and VM2 (P = .014, 95% CI: 0.22 to 1.87) groups, a significant decrease in gloss was noted. Conclusion: Color and gloss of stained resin-ceramic CAD/CAM materials changed significantly after aging by means of toothbrush abrasion in vitro.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of aging on the morphology of the interface between monolithic implant crowns and standardized titanium base abutments. Materials and Methods: Four groups of hybrid abutment crowns differing in restorative material (lithium disilicate [LD] or polymer-infiltrated ceramic network [PICN]) and in fabrication procedure of the interfacial zone for luting to a titanium abutment (milled during CAD/ CAM procedure [M] or prefabricated [P]) were formed: LDS-M, LDS-P, PICN-M, and PICN-P (n = 10 each). The morphology of the crown-abutment interface was examined before and after artificial aging using scanning electron microscopy. The total gap length per specimen was measured at both time points, and intergroup (Kruskal-Wallis [KW]) plus pairwise (Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney [WMW]) comparisons were performed (α = .05). Results: Before aging, statistically significant differences in gap length were identified among groups (KW: P = .0369) for PICN-P > LDS-P (WMW: P = .0496) and LDS-M > LDS-P (WMW: P = .0060). The effect of aging among the groups, expressed as an increment of total gap length, was 50% in LDS-M, 30% in LDS-P, 20% in PICN-M, and 30% in PICN-P. After aging, the statistically significant differences in gap length identified among groups (KW: P = .0048) were for PICN-P > LDS-P (WMW: P = .0134); LDS-M > PICN-M (WMW: P = .0204); PICN-P > PICN-M (WMW: P = .0486); and LDS-M > LDS-P (P = .0022). However, comparison of the difference in gap length from before to after aging among the groups was not statistically significant (KW: P = .3549). Conclusion: The cementation interfaces of CAD/CAM crowns on standardized titanium base abutments demonstrated a high percentage of gaps before and after thermomechanical loading. The composition of the restorative material and the nature of the interface influenced the interfacial gap dimension.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the survival of implants placed in augmented sinuses on a medium- to long-term basis, and identify factors affecting implant survival such as surgical technique, bone grafts, and timing of implant placement. Materials and Methods: A literature search up to July 2016 was performed to identify prospective clinical studies on sinus floor augmentation in conjunction with implant placement with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. Meta-analytic methods were implemented to calculate implant survival rates and relative risks (RR) for failure and the effect of surgical technique, use of bone graft, graft type, use of membrane, mean residual bone height, and timing of implant insertion. Results: A total of 17 clinical trials (1 randomized and 16 prospective nonrandomized) were included, which pertained to 637 patients (at least 48% male) and 1,610 implants placed after sinus floor augmentation with the osteotome (transalveolar) or lateral window approach. The pooled implant survival rate at 3 to 6 years of follow-up was 97.7% (17 studies; 95% CI = 94.4% to 99.7%) with high heterogeneity. Smoking was associated with significantly worse implant survival (2 studies; RR = 4.8; 95% CI = 1.2 to 19.4; P < .05). However, evidence of influencing factors varied from very low to moderate after adopting the GRADE approach, due to risk of bias, imprecision, inconsistency, and small-study effects. Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that implants in augmented sinuses have high survival rates, with smoking playing a potentially important negative role in their prognosis. Both indirect and direct maxillary sinus floor augmentation seem to have a low frequency of manageable complications. Keywords: atrophic maxilla, bone graft, implant success, implant survival, peri-implantitis, sinus elevation

The aim of the present study was to assess the threshold values for color changes on the level of the tooth separately for laypeople, dentists, and dental technicians. Standardized presentations were made of five cases (maxilla, left to right lateral incisors) with the gingiva and teeth separated. The color parameters L (lightness), a, and b (chroma) (CIE L*a*b* parameters) of the tooth layers were adjusted to induce darker and lighter colors. In the presentations, the left part of the pictures (maxillary right central and lateral incisors) was unchanged, whereas the right part was modified. A group of 10 dentists, 10 dental technicians, and 10 laypeople evaluated the color differences between the pictures. The median threshold values were 1.8 (laypeople), 1.8 (dental technicians), and 1.9 (dentists). The overall ΔE amounted to 1.8.

Keratinized mucosa belongs to the masticatory mucosa, while nonkeratinizing mucosa belongs to the lining mucosa. Dental implants may be installed in either of these mucosal types. For the long-standing stability of the peri-implant mucosal tissues it is debated whether a band of keratinized mucosa surrounding the implant is needed. Increasing evidence from recent well-designed clinical studies points to that necessity. Hence, it may be anticipated that in certain cases the band of keratinized mucosa needs to be widened to at least 2 mm. Keywords: Keratinized mucosa, dental implant

The aim of the present study was to assess the discoloration of the peri-implant mucosa caused by zirconia (Zr) and titanium (Ti) dental implants with and without soft tissue grafting (STG). Zr and Ti implants were inserted in edentulous areas in pig maxillae. Spectrophotometric measurements were performed prior to and after the insertion of the implants, and following the placement of a STG on the buccal side. A significant discoloration of the mucosa was observed with a mean ΔE of 8.05 (± 2.51) (Ti) and 4.93 (± 3.18) (Zr). In conjunction with a STG, ΔE values amounted to 5.31 ± 3.50 (Ti) and 5.95 (± 3.68) (Zr). The placement of Zr implants led to less discoloration of the mucosa than Ti implants without STG.