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Purpose This study compares the marginal accuracy of posterior metal ceramic (MC), all-ceramic IPS Empress®2 and experimental pressed ceramic (EPC-VP 1989/4) three-unit fixed partial dentures (FPD), before and after luting and after thermo-mechanical fatigue in a dual-axis chewing simulator. Materials and methods Caries-free human teeth (n=160) were used as abutments for the fabrication of eighty posterior three-unit FPD, divided into two test-groups, IPS Empress®2 and EPC, of 32 samples each and one control group of 16 samples metal ceramic FPD. All FPD were cemented with Variolink®II dual-curing resin cement. Half of the samples in each group were exposed to a dual-axis chewing simulator. Results The geometric mean marginal gap values (µm, before cementation, after cementation and after thermo-mechanical fatigue) amounted to 53, 63 and 62 for the ceramic metal FPD, 57, 71 and 68 for the Empress®2 FPD and 55, 67 and 68 for the EPC FPD. In all groups a statistically significant increase in marginal gap width was observed after cementation. The effect of functional loading in the chewing simulator on marginal gap was not significant. Marginal gap was lowest in the control group but differences with all-ceramic materials were small in all evaluation stages. Conclusion Within the limits of this investigation, it can be concluded that marginal gap values of these all-ceramic materials and conventional MC techniques are on a similar level. In particular, almost all marginal gap values observed in this study were within the limits of clinical acceptance.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate anti-candidal activity, gelation time, and surface hardness of a short-term soft lining material incorporated with varying concentrations of Piper betle extract (0.25 to 20% w/w). Agar-diffusion assay was conducted to evaluate an inhibitory effect against Candida albicans. The gelation time was assessed and surface hardness was measured at 2 h and 7 days by Shore AO durometer. A soft liner containing at least 5% w/w of P. betle extract was observed the inhibitory effect against C. albicans. An increasing of P. betle concentrations provided larger inhibition zone. Incorporating 5% w/w of P. betle extract into the soft liner did not significantly alter its gelation time and surface hardness (ANOVA; p>0.05). The optimum composition at 5% w/w of P. betle extract can be used as an additive in the soft liner to provide the anti-candidal activity without significantly affect these two main properties.

This in vitro study evaluated the failure load of partial coverage restorations (PCR) made of various materials cemented on natural molars after exposure to the mastication simulator. Sixty-four maxillary molars were divided into four groups of 16 test specimens each. The specimens in one group remained unprepared (group NP); the teeth in the other groups were prepared equally according to standardized guidelines and restored with the following PCR: Group GO (Gold-Pontor-MPF; Metaux Precieux SA, Metalor, Neuchatel, Switzerland), group TA (Targis; Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein) and group EM (IPS-Empress; Ivoclar Vivadent AG). The restorations in group GO were cemented conventionally, while those in groups TA and EM were luted adhesively. Groups NP and GO served as control groups. All test specimens were subjected to 1.2 million cycles (F = 49 N) in a mastication simulator. Subsequently, all test specimens were loaded occlusally until fracture occurred using an universal testing machine. All specimens withstood the masticating simulation. The median (IQR = x(0.25)-x(0.75)) failure loads were as follows: group NP: 1960.3(1480.5-2227.5) N, group TA: 1478.6(1293.4-1856.7) N and group EM: 1400.1(1043.1-1721.6) N. All test specimens of group GO achieved fracture strength values which exceeded a fracture load of 5500 N. The values of group GO were statistically significantly higher than those of groups NP, TA and EM (P < 0.00001). Furthermore, the results of group NP were significantly higher (P = 0.0226) than those of group EM. The results of groups NP and TA (P = 0.2022) as well as of groups TA and EM (P = 0.5340) did not differ significantly. The median values of all PCR systems obtained were within the limits of clinical acceptance. Long-term clinical investigations which take additional parameters into consideration are required before the composite-based Targis(R) (Ivoclar Vivadent AG) material can be recommended for indirect PCR.