ABSTRACT
The margins of copings for crowns and retainers of fixed partial dentures affect the
progress of microleakage and dental caries. Failures occur due to altered fit which is also
influenced by the method of fabrication. An in-vitro study was conducted to determine
among the cast base metal, copy milled zirconia, computer aided designing computer
aided machining/manufacturing zirconia and direct metal laser sintered copings which
showed best marginal accuracy and internal fit. Forty extracted maxillary premolars
were mounted on an acrylic model and reduced occlusally using a milling machine up
to a final tooth height of 4 mm from the cementoenamel junction. Axial reduction was
accomplished on a surveyor and a chamfer finish line was given. The impressions and
dies were made for fabrication of copings which were luted on the prepared teeth under
standardized loading, embedded in self-cure acrylic resin, sectioned and observed using
scanning electron microscope for internal gap and marginal accuracy. The copings fabricated using direct metal laser sintering technique exhibited best marginal accuracy and
internal fit. Comparison of mean between the four groups by ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey
HSD tests showed a statistically significant difference between all the groups (p<0.05).
It was concluded that the copings fabricated using direct metal laser sintering technique exhibited best marginal accuracy and internal fit. Additive digital technologies
such as direct metal laser sintering could be cost-effective for the clinician, minimize
failures related to fit and increase longevity of teeth and prostheses.
Keywords
Casting
Direct Metal Laser Sintering
Internal Fit
Marginal Accuracy
Scanning Electron Microscope
Prof. William Palin, Prof. Trevor Burke, Dr Mohammed Abdul Hadis, Dr Ricardo Martins, Dr Kathryn Shaw