Three-dimensional finite element analysis of molars with thin-walled prosthetic crowns made of various materials

Objectives The aim of the study was to compare the strength of thin-walled molar crowns made of various materials under simulation of mastication. Methods Five 3D FE models of the first lower molar with the use of contact elements were created: intact tooth; tooth with a zirconia crown; tooth with a porcelain crown; tooth with a gold alloy crown and tooth with a composite crown. The computer simulations of mastication were conducted. For the models, equivalent stresseswere calculated using the modified von Mises failure criterion (mvM). Contact stresses at the adhesive interface between the cement and tooth structure under the crowns were analyzed. Results Equivalent stresses in the crowns, did not exceed the tensile strength of their material. The mvM stresses in resin cement under the zirconia crown were 1.3 MPa, and under the composite crown they increased over 6 times. The tensile and shear contact stressesunder the stiff crowns (ceramics and gold alloy), were several times lower than those under the composite one. The maximum mvM stresses in the tooth structure for the zirconia crown were only 2.8 MPa, whereas for the composite crown were 6.4 MPa. The higher elastic modulus the crown was, the lower the equivalent stresses occurred in the composite luting cement and in the tooth structures. Also contact stresses decreased with the increasing stiffness of the crowns. Significance Under physiological loads, the thin-walled crowns perfectly luted to molars, made of zirconia ceramic, gold alloys and composite resin are resistant to failure. Prosthetic crowns made of stiff materials are less prone to debonding than those made of composite resin. Prosthetic crowns made of a material with a higher elastic modulus than enamel will strengthen the dental structures of molar teeth.