Journal of  

Dental Research, Dental Clinics, Dental Prospects

Original Article

Comparison of Chamfer and Deep Chamfer Preparation Designs

on the Fracture Resistance of Zirconia Core Restorations
Ezatollah Jalalian 1* • Roghayeh Rostami 2 • Berivan Atashkar 2

1
Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, Dental School, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2
Dentist, Private Practice, Tehran, Iran
*
Corresponding Author; E-mail: [email protected]

Received: 8 February 2011; Accepted: 17 May 2011

J Dent Res Dent Clin Dent Prospects 2011; 5(2):41-45
This article is available from: http://dentistry.tbzmed.ac.ir/joddd

© 2011 The Authors; Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0),
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract
Background and aims. One of the major problems of all-ceramic restorations is their probable fracture under occlusal
force. The aim of the present in vitro study was to compare the effect of two marginal designs (chamfer and deep chamfer)
on the fracture resistance of all-ceramic restorations, CERCON.
Materials and methods.  This in vitro study was carried out with single-blind experimental technique. One stainless
steel die with 50’ chamfer finish line design (0.8 mm deep) was prepared using a milling machine. Ten epoxy resin dies
were prepared. The same die was retrieved and 50' chamfer was converted into a deep chamfer design (1 mm). Again ten
epoxy resin dies were prepared from the deep chamfer die. Zirconia cores with 0.4 mm thickness and 35 µm cement space
were fabricated on the epoxy resin dies (10 chamfer and 10 deep chamfer samples). The zirconia cores were cemented on
the epoxy resin dies and underwent a fracture test with a universal testing machine and the samples were investigated from
the point of view of the origin of the failure.
Results. The mean values of fracture resistance for deep chamfer and chamfer samples were 1426.10±182.60 and
991.75±112.00 N, respectively. Student’s t-test revealed statistically significant differences between the groups.
Conclusion. The results indicated a relationship between the marginal design of zirconia cores and their fracture resis-
tance. A deep chamfer margin improved the biomechanical performance of posterior single zirconia crown restorations,
which might be attributed to greater thickness and rounded internal angles in deep chamfer margins.
Key words: CAD/CAM, dental restoration, fracture strength, zirconium oxide.

metal which brings about toxic, chemical and aller-

Introduction
gic affects. The difference between their color and
that of the natural tooth is another problem. Most
One of the major problems of all-ceramic restora-
people prefer tooth-colored crowns. All-ceramic
tions is their probable fracture under occlusal and
crowns have esthetic and biocompatibility.2 In recent
lateral forces.1 The majority of restorations contain
years such restorations have been used in posterior

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42 Jalalian et al.

restorations. However, some crown fractures due to that both these types of finish lines are considered to
the relatively low mechanical resistance of ceramic be adequate for the tooth. However, Di Lorio et al10
crowns have been reported, which might be attrib- suggested that the shoulder margin could improve
uted to the magnitude of biting forces applied on the biomechanical performance of single-crown
premolars and molars and to the inherent brittleness alumina restorations. De Jager et al11 discovered that
of ceramics.3,4 Ceramic materials are particularly for long-lasting restorations in posterior region it is
susceptible to tensile stresses, and mechanical resis- advisable to make a chamfer with collar preparation.
tance is also strongly influenced by the presence of Cho L et al12 found out that the fracture strength of
superficial flaws and internal voids. Such defects chamfer finish line (0.9, 1.2 mm) was greater than
might represent the sites of crack initiation. This 1.2 mm rounded end shoulder and 1.2 shoulder fin-
phenomenon may be influenced by different factors, ish line. Potiket et al13 suggested that a 1-mm deep
such as marginal design and thickness of the restora- shoulder finish line with a rounded internal line an-
tion, residual processing stress, magnitude and direc- gle has good fracture strength for the natural teeth
tion and frequency of the applied load, elastic mod- restored with all-ceramic crowns. Rammersberg et
ulus of restoration components, restoration cement al14 discovered that a minimally invasive 0.5-mm
interfacial defects, and oral environmental effects.5 axial chamfer tooth preparation has the greatest sta-
In one research, finite element analysis (FEA) was bility for posterior metal-free crowns. The aim of the
used to study stress distribution during mastication in present in vitro study was to compare the fracture
maxillary second premolars restored with metal- resistance under a cyclic load applied to chamfer and
ceramic crowns and compare them to non-restored deep chamfer margins of zirconia crowns.
teeth. High stresses were recorded at the cervical line
of restored teeth within the dentin-metal interface Materials and Methods
and within the ceramic-metal interface.6 The FEA
method was used to study stress distribution in the This in vitro single-blind experimental study was
lower first molars restored with all-ceramic crowns. carried out using 1 machined standard stainless steel
The results of that study revealed concentration of die with a height of 7 mm and a diameter of 5 mm.15
stress at the cervical area.7 The aim of the present The marginal area of the die was prepared with 50'
study was to evaluate the effect of marginal design chamfer finish line (0.8 mm deep).16,17 The axial
of crowns on improved mechanical performance of walls were 10° convergent (Figure 1).15 Impressions
CERCON crowns from a clinical point of view. Such were poured in Epoxy resin CW2215 (Hunstman-
a condition can be achieved preparing a deep cham- Germany). Afterwards, the standard die was con-
fer margin in crowns instead of a chamfer and shoul- verted into a deep chamfer with a depth of 1 mm
der margin. Florian Beuer8 suggested that shoulder (Figures 2a,b).16,17 Again 10 polyvinylsiloxane im-
margin has a greater fracture resistance than deep pressions were made and ten epoxy resin dies were
chamfer and chamfer margin. Sadan et al9 proposed created from these impressions (Figure 2c,d).8,10

a b

                    
Figure 1. Diagram of chamfer (a) and deep chamfer (b) preparations.

JODDD, Vol. 5, No. 2 Spring 2011

 Fracture Resistance in Chamfer Preparation Designs 43

cementation, excess luting agent was removed and

a b the samples were stored in a saline solution at room
temperature for 24 hours. Mechanical tests were car-
ried out using a universal testing machine (GOTECH
AI-700LAC, Arsona, USA). The load was applied at
the center of the occlusal surface along the long axis
with a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until fracture
occurred.19 The fracture load data were automatically
recorded using Vista software. The samples were
investigated from the point of view of the origin of
the failure (Figure 2e,f). Data was analyzed with stu-
 c  d dent's t-test at a significance level of P<0.05.

Results
The mean ± SD of fracture resistance were 1426.10
± 182.60 and 991.75 ± 112.00 N for the deep cham-
fer and chamfer margins, respectively. Not only the
maximum but also the minimum fracture resistances
 e  f of two groups were more than intra-oral loads. Stu-
dent's t-test revealed statistically significant differ-
ences between the groups (P=0.05) (Table 1). This
study was carried out with 95% confidence interval;
Kaplan–Meir graph showed that deep chamfer mar-
gin tolerates more cracks till fracture than chamfer
margin (Figure 3), which might be attributed to
greater thickness in deep chamfer margins.

Discussion
Figure 2. Standard dies of chamfer (a) and deep cham-
fer (b) preparations. Epoxy resin dies with chamfer (c)
One of the major problems of all-ceramic restora-
and deep chamfer (d) margins. Fracture area in cham- tions is their probable fracture under occlusal and
fer (e) and deep chamfer (f) margins. lateral forces.1 The majority of restorations contain
metal which brings about biologic problems and
Twenty copings were produced of a partially sintered have no esthetic appearance.2 This study compared
ZrO2 ceramic material using CAD/CAM technology fracture resistance of chamfer and deep chamfer
(Cercon Smart Ceramics, DeguDent, Hanau, Brain, margins of CERCON crowns under a cyclic load.
DeguDent). The copings with 0.4 mm thicknesses8 Student's t-test revealed statistically significant dif-
and 35 µm of cement space8 were milled out from the ferences between the two groups; fracture resistance
pre-sintered ZrO2 and the Cercon (DeguDent) heat- of deep chamfer margin was more than that of cham-
sintered them at 1350°C for 6 hours. Since the cop- fer margin. Elastic modulus of the supported materi-
ing mainly determinates the overall resistance to als of the core affected the fracture resistance of the
fracture of veneered crown5,18 porcelain veneering core.20 Therefore, in this study, we used epoxy resin
was omitted. The copings were evaluated visually; dies that are much better brass dies.21 Another differ-
those with margin deemed visually unacceptable ence from clinical conditions is the unknown nature
were rejected and another coping was made instead. of the bond between the luting agent and die mate-
Each coping was then cemented on its definitive die rial. It is reasonable to suppose that the presence of a
with GI (GC Gold Labled, Tokyo, Japan).14 Finger hybrid layer at the dentin-cement interfaces influ-
pressure was applied during the setting time.24 After
Table 1. Fracture resistance of chamfer and deep chamfer edge zirconia cores
95% Confidence Interval for Mean
Margin design N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Minimum Maximum
Lower Bound Upper Bound
Deep chamfer 10 1426.100 182.60671 57.74531 1295.4710 1556.7290 1100.00 1656.00
Chamfer 10 991.7500 112.00088 25.04416 939.3320 1044.1680 813.00 1196.00

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44 Jalalian et al.

1600 Conclusion
1500
Both marginal designs had high fracture resistance
that is more than biting forces so we could use both;
1400 however, because of higher fracture resistance of
1300
deep chamfer margins, this finish line is recom-
95% CI fracture resisitance

mended to improve the biomechanical performance

1200 of posterior single zirconia restorations.
1100
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