Influence of thermo-mechanical cycling on porcelain bonding to cobalt-chromium and titanium dental alloys fabricated by casting, milling, and selective laser melting.

PURPOSE: The aim has been to determine the effect of thermo-mechanical cycling on shear-bond-strength (SBS) of dental porcelain to Co-Cr and Ti-based alloys fabricated by casting, computer-numerical-controlled milling, and selective-laser-melting (SLM).

METHODS: Seven groups (n=22/group) of metal cylinders were fabricated by casting (Co-Cr and commercially pure-cpTi), milling (Co-Cr, cpTi, Ti-6Al-4V) or by SLM (Co-Cr and Ti-6Al-4V) and abraded with airborne-particles. The average surface roughness (Ra ) was determined for each group. Dental porcelain was applied and each metal-ceramic combination was divided into two subgroups - stored in deionized water (24-h, 37°C), or subjected to both thermal (6000-cycles, between 5 and 60°C) and mechanical cycling (105 -cycles, 60N-load). SBS test-values and failure modes were recorded. Metal-ceramic interfaces were analyzed with a focused-ion-beam/scanning-electron-microscope (FIB/SEM) and energy-dispersive-spectroscopy (EDS). The elastic properties of the respective metal and ceramic materials were evaluated by instrumented-indentation-testing. The oxide thickness on intact Ti-based substrates was measured with Auger-electron-spectroscopy (AES). Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey's HSD and t-tests (α=0.05).

RESULTS: The SBS-means differed according to the metal-ceramic combination (p<0.0005) and to the fatigue conditions (p<0.0005). The failure modes and interface analyses suggest better porcelain adherence to Co-Cr than to Ti-based alloys. Values of Ra were dependent on the metal substrate (p<0.0005). Ti-based substrates were not covered with thick oxide layers following digital fabrication.

CONCLUSIONS: Ti-based alloys are more susceptible than Co-Cr to reduction of porcelain bond strength following thermo-mechanical cycling. The porcelain bond strength to Ti-based alloys is affected by the applied metal processing technology.