Objectives:  Understanding the relation of the observed damage modes to the clinical structures for designing damage tolerant crown systems calls for the study of interactions between loading and crown geometry.  This study focuses on the stress distribution within an all-ceramic dental crown when subjected to normal and inclined contact loading. Methods: A molar crown model is used with its geometry characterized by two parameters: thickness of the crown layer and the slope of the crown occlusal surface.  A 200 N force is applied under two conditions: normal to the central fossa, and the cuspal incline surface of the crown. FEA is employed to evaluate the maximum principal stress () with its location on the dental crown. Results: Inclined loading shifts the location to the inner corner region from the central region of the crown when subjected to normal loading with a significant reduction in magnitude. An empirical model representing as a function of the two design parameters under the inclined loading condition is given by(MPa) where X₁ and X₂ represent the thickness and the cuspal incline angle. The empirical model for the normal loading is given by  (MPa). Conclusions: Under the inclined loading, increasing crown thickness reduces , and lowing the slope leads to a further reduction of, which is magnified by the two parameters interaction.  However, such effects do not hold true under the normal loading conditions.

P01DE10976-07

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