Characterization of Temporary Dental Crown Materials Prepared by Different Digital Technologies

Abstract

Temporary fixed dental restorations are an essential part of prosthodontics treatment to restore aesthetics and function as well as to protect teeth from damage until treatment completion. Various digital technologies have recently been introduced for the fabrication of temporary crowns that need to be evaluated physically and mechanically. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of temporary crown materials fabricated using various digital fabrication techniques and 3D printing systems. Methods: Four groups of temporary dental crown materials (N=8) were prepared using conventional methods and three di gital systems. Groups A, manual method, B, a digital subtractive method, C, additive method with the NextDent system, and D, additive method with the Asiga system. Surface roughness (Ra), three-point bending, and Vickers microhardness tests were performed. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher's multiple tests were used to compare outcomes between the groups. Results: Group B was statistically smoother (P