To Evaluate & Compare Retention of Complete Cast Crown in Natural Teeth Using Different Auxiliary Retentive Features with Two Different Crown Heights - An In Vitro Study

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the retention of complete cast crowns in teeth with adequate and inadequate crown height and to evaluate the effects of auxiliary retentive features on retention form complete cast crowns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty freshly extracted human premolars. They were divided into 2 major groups depending upon the height of the teeth after the preparation. Group1 (H1): prepared teeth with constant height of 3.5 mm and Group 2 (H2): prepared teeth with constant height of 2.5 mm. Each group is further subdivided into 3 subgroups, depending upon the retentive features incorporated. First sub group were prepared conventionally, second sub group with proximal grooves and third subgroups with proximal boxes preparation. Castings produced in Nickel chromium alloy were cemented with glass ionomer cement and the cemented castings were subjected to tensional forces required to dislodge each cemented casting from its preparation and used for comparison of retentive quality. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using Oneway ANOVA test. RESULTS: The results showed there was statistically significant difference between adequate (H1) and inadequate (H2) group and increase in retention when there was incorporation of retentive features compared to conventional preparations. Incorporation of retentive grooves was statistically significant compared to retention obtained by boxes. Results also showed there was no statistically significant difference between long conventional and short groove. CONCLUSION: Complete cast crowns on teeth with adequate crown height exhibited greater retention than with inadequate crown height. Proximal grooves provided greater amount of retention when compared with proximal boxes.