Influence of preparation designs on marginal adaptation and failure load of full-coverage occlusal veneers after thermomechanical aging simulation

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the fracture resistance and marginal quality of maxillary molars restored using lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (LDG) occlusal veneers with two preparation designs. METHODS: Sixteen extracted maxillary molars were assigned to two groups (n = 8). In group 1 (G1), the teeth received a preparation for a conservative full-coverage occlusal veneer restoration with a 90° rounded shoulder margin. In group 2 (G2), the teeth underwent a 1-mm cusp reduction with a marginal chamfer. LDG restorations (IPS e.max CAD) were obtained with the Cerec 3 CAD/CAM system and luted with Variolink II cement. After thermomechanical aging (1 250 000 cycles), the specimens were loaded to fracture. A semiquantitative marginal seal evaluation was performed observing resin replicas of the specimens at the scanning electron microscope. Cement thickness was assessed at the stereomicroscope on sectioned specimens. Collected data were statistically analyzed by parametric and nonparametric tests. RESULTS: The maximum load to fracture was 2395.01 ± 150.96 N in G1 and 2408.39 ± 112.66 N in G2. Most of the observed specimens exhibited restorable fractures and continuous margins. Cement thickness was 132 ± 38 μm in G1 and 150 ± 41 μm in G2. No differences between the groups emerged. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated similar satisfactory performance of the two considered preparations designs for occlusal veneer with LDG. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A new minimally invasive occlusal veneer preparation with marginal chamfer exhibited promising fracture resistance and marginal adaptation that were comparable to those of a standard conservative preparation for the restoration of molars with CAD/CAM lithium disilicate occlusal veneers.