In vitro evaluation of fracture resistance and cyclic fatigue resistance of computer-aided design-on and hand-layered zirconia crowns following cementation on epoxy dies

AIM: This in vitro study was to compare the fracture resistance and cyclic fatigue resistance of hand-layered zirconia crowns and computer-aided design (CAD)-on crowns (lithium disilicate with zirconium oxide). SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Comparative -Invitro study design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All ceramic crown preparation was done on a mandibular molar ivorine tooth, impression made, and duplicated. Twenty hand-layered zirconia crowns and twenty CAD-on crowns were fabricated using CAD/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technique. All crowns were cemented to their respective dies using resin cement for evaluating fracture resistance and cyclic fatigue resistance using universal testing machine. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Independent samples t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and Shapiro–Wilk test were used. RESULTS: The mean fracture resistance of CAD-on crowns (2660.50 ± 501.303 N) was significantly more than that of hand-layered zirconia crowns (1963.60 ± 452.895 N) (independent samples t-test, P < 0.023). Cyclic fatigue resistance test results showed that the mean number of cycles before failure for hand-layered zirconia crowns was 175,297 and for CAD-on crowns was 212,097 (Mann–Whitney U-test, P < 0.012). CONCLUSION: CAD-on crowns were found to have significantly higher fracture resistance and cyclic fatigue resistance properties than hand-layered zirconia crowns.