Load-bearing capacity under fatigue and survival rates of adhesively cemented yttrium-stabilized zirconia polycrystal monolithic simplified restorations

This study evaluated the fatigue failure load, number of cycles for failure and survival probability of 2nd and 3rd generation yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) adhesively cemented to a dentin analogue substrate. Disc-shaped specimens (n = 10; O = 10 mm; thickness = 1.0 mm) were produced from four 2nd generation YSZs (Lava Plus, 3M ESPE; Vita In-Ceram YZ-HT, VITA Zahnfabrik; Zirlux FC, Ivoclar Vivadent; Katana ML-HT, Kuraray) and two 3rd generation YSZs (Katana UTML and Katana STML, Kuraray). Each YSZ disc was adhesively cemented (Multilink Automix System) onto its dentin analogue pair (epoxy resin, O = 10 mm; thickness = 2.5 mm). Fatigue tests were conducted through step-stress approach (load ranging from 400 to 2600 N; step-size of 200 N; 20,000 cycles per step, 20 Hz) and the obtained data were analyzed using Kaplan Meier and Mantel-Cox tests. Surface topography and phase transformation (m-, t-, and c-phases) inspections after particle air-abrasion of the YSZs were performed, as well as fractographic analysis of the failed specimens. Second-generation zirconia materials presented higher fatigue failure load, number of cycles for failure, and survival probability than 3rd generation. Similar topographical characteristics of the YSZs could be noted. Phase transformation (t- to m-phase) after YSZ air-abrasion was only observed for 2nd generation materials. All failures started from the surface/sub-surface defects located at the cementation interface. 2nd generation zirconia presented higher load-bearing capacity under cyclic loading than 3rd generation materials.