Evaluation of Fracture Resistance and Color Stability of Crowns Obtained by Layering Composite Over Zirconia and Polyetheretherketone Copings Before and After Thermocycling to Simulate Oral Environment: An In Vitro Study

BACKGROUND: Most common material used for the fabrication of an implant restoration is full-ceramic crown or an all-ceramic crown. Frequent chipping of the ceramic under occlusal load has posed a great problem to the clinician and the patient. Composites have been layered over zirconia successfully in the recent past to overcome this problem. This study, thus, aimed to evaluate and compare the fracture resistance and color stability of crowns obtained by layering composite over zirconia and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) copings before and after thermocycling to simulate oral environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 40 crowns (20 per group) were obtained by layering composite of A3 shade over computer-aided design/computer-aided milling milled zirconia and PEEK copings. Thermocycling of the 10 out of the 20 crowns was performed in a thermocycler (5000 cycles, in water temperature of 5°C and 55°C with dwell time of 30s), and then they were kept in hot and cold beverages for 24h each, to simulate oral environmental conditions. After thermocycling, the crowns were divided into four groups of 10 samples each: Group Z, ZT, P, and PT. Shade evaluation of all the crowns was performed using digital shade guide (VITA Easyshade(®) Advance; VITA Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany) and VITAPAN classical (VITA Zahnfabrik). Fracture strength was tested for all the crowns in a universal testing machine. Fracture strength in megapascal and the applied occlusal load in kilograms were recorded. Data obtained were statistically evaluated by one-way analysis of variance and post hoc test. RESULTS: The final shade of the crowns obtained by layering A3 shade composite in the groups Z was A3, ZT was B3, P was C3, and PT was D2. The value of mean fracture strength of crowns of groups Z was 1142.3MPa, ZT was 1034.57MPa, P was 2134.64MPa, and PT was 1765.01MPa. CONCLUSION: Thermocycling affected the shade of all the crowns. The mean fracture strength of the crowns having PEEK copings was significantly higher than that of zirconia copings. Thermocycling did not have a significant effect on the mean fracture strength.