In vitro assessment of the effect of luting agents, abutment height, and fatigue on the retention of zirconia crowns luted to titanium base implant abutments

Henrico B Strazzi-Sahyon; Edmara T P Bergamo; Petra C Gierthmuehlen; Adolfo C O Lopes; Larissa M M Alves; Ernesto B Benalcázar Jalkh; Abbas Zahoui; Paulo G Coelho; Alexandre M de Carvalho; Estevam A Bonfante

doi:10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.07.032

In vitro assessment of the effect of luting agents, abutment height, and fatigue on the retention of zirconia crowns luted to titanium base implant abutments

J Prosthet Dent. 2023 Nov;130(5):739.e1-739.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.07.032. Epub 2023 Sep 7.

Affiliations

¹ Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontology, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: ico_strazzi@usp.br.
² Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontology, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil; Postdoctoral Researcher, Biomaterials Division, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, NY.
³ Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dentistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
⁴ Postgraduate student, Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontology, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.
⁵ Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontology, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.
⁶ Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.
⁷ Professor, Department of Prosthodontics and Periodontology, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.

PMID: 37684141
DOI: 10.1016/j.prosdent.2023.07.032

Abstract

Statement of problem: The bonding of implant-supported prostheses is determined by abutment material, convergence angle, height, surface treatment, and luting agents. However, studies evaluating the bonding of luting agents to titanium base abutments with different heights under fatigue conditions are scarce.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the retention of zirconia crowns bonded with different luting agents to titanium base abutments of different heights before and after fatigue testing.

Material and methods: Zirconia crowns were designed, milled, and distributed into 4 experimental groups according to the luting agents (G-Multi Primer/G-Cem LinkForce [MP/GC] and Scotchbond Universal/RelyX Ultimate [SU/RU]) and titanium base abutment heights (2.5 mm and 4 mm) (n=10). Pull-out testing was performed in a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min until crown displacement. Fatigue testing was performed by an electric precision fatigue simulator (1×10⁶ cycles; 100 N; and 15 Hz), followed by pull-out testing of fatigued specimens. Collected data were statistically evaluated by using a linear mixed model after post hoc comparisons by the least significant difference test (α=.05).

Results: Luting agents, abutment heights, and fatigue influenced the bonding retention of zirconia crowns to titanium base abutments. SU/RU agents promoted higher pull-out compared with MP/GC for both abutment heights before and after fatigue. Higher abutment height increased pull-out regarding lower abutment height for SU/RU materials before and after fatigue testing. Although fatigue had no significant effect on the pull-out of MP/GC, lower bond retention was observed for SU/RU after fatigue, regardless of abutment height.

Conclusions: Luting agent composition and the interaction with abutment height and fatigue influenced the retention of zirconia crowns to titanium base abutments.

MeSH terms

Crowns
Dental Abutments
Dental Cements* / chemistry
Dental Implants*
Dental Stress Analysis
Materials Testing
Titanium / chemistry
Zirconium / chemistry

Substances

Dental Cements
Titanium
zirconium oxide
Dental Implants
Zirconium