Investigation of stress distribution within an endodontically treated tooth restored with different restorations

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Recently, metal-free restoration has become the standard in prosthetic treatment. However, it is still unclear which combination is most effective in preventing root fracture and secondary caries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different post systems, crown materials, crown thickness and luting agents on the stress distribution around the crown margins, cervical dentin and the tip of the post. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-six mandibular first premolar models were developed and analyzed using finite element analysis (FEA). Two designs of crowns, six kinds of crown materials, four types of post and core systems and two kinds of luting agents were included and evaluated for the stress distribution within the abutment teeth. The Von Mises stress magnitudes were compared among all models. RESULTS: The stress at the tip of the post decreased as the young's modulus of luting agent decreased; The stress concentrated more at the cervical area (dentin and crown), as the physical properties of the crown material increased. CONCLUSION: Crowns fabricated using polyetheretherketone (PEEK) can reduce the stress concentration at the cervical area, so it may be possible to reduce the amount of tooth reduction during abutment tooth preparation. The stress distribution around the post tip is affected by the post and core systems and luting agent, regardless of crown materials and thickness. When inserting a post of the higher Young's modulus such as zirconia post, methyl methacrylate luting cement can reduce the stress concentration at the tip of the post.