Enas Mangoush

The aim of this study was to evaluate load‐bearing capacity and wear performance of experimental short fiber‐reinforced composite (SFRC) and conventional lithium‐disilicate CAD/CAM fabricated fixed partial dentures (FPDs). Two groups ( n = 12/group) of three‐unit CAD/CAM fabricated posterior FPDs were made. The first group used experimental SFRC blocks, and the second group fabricated from lithium‐disilicate (IPS e.max CAD). All FPDs were luted on a zirconia testing jig with dual‐curing resin cement. Half of FPDs per group were quasi‐statically loaded until fracture. The other half experienced cyclic fatigue aging (100.000 cycles, Fmax = 500 N) before loading quasi‐statically until fracture. Fracture mode was examined using SEM. Wear test was performed using 15,000 loading cycles. Both material type and aging had a significant effect on the load‐bearing capacity of FPDs. Experimental SFRC CAD without fatigue aging had significantly the highest load‐bearing capacity (2096 ± 149N). Cyclic fatigue aging decreased the load‐bearing capacity of the SFRC group (1709 ± 188N) but increased it for the lithium‐disilicate group (1546 ± 155N). Wear depth values of SFRC CAD (29.3μm) were significantly lower compared to lithium‐disilicate (54.2μm). Experimental SFRC CAD demonstrated the highest load‐bearing capacity before and after cyclic fatigue aging, and superior wear behavior compared to the control material.