Fracture Resistance of CAD/CAM-Fabricated Zirconia and Lithium Disilicate Crowns with Different Margin Designs: Implications for Digital Dentistry

This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the influence of cervical margin design-tangential versus chamfer-on the fracture resistance of monolithic crowns fabricated from lithium disilicate and zirconia ceramics. Forty extracted human molars were randomly assigned to two preparation types: chamfer and tangential. Each group was restored with CAD/CAM-fabricated crowns made from either zirconia (IPS e.max® ZirCAD Prime) or lithium disilicate (IPS e.max® CAD), resulting in four subgroups (n = 10). Standardized adhesive cementation protocols were applied. After 24 h storage in distilled water, the specimens underwent static load-to-failure testing using a ZwickRoell ProLine Z005 universal testing machine. Zirconia crowns with chamfer margins exhibited the highest mean fracture resistance (2658 N), while lithium disilicate crowns with tangential margins showed the lowest (1862 N). Chamfer preparation significantly increased the fracture resistance of lithium disilicate crowns (p < 0.01), whereas margin design had no significant effect on zirconia. All restorations exceeded physiological masticatory forces, confirming their clinical viability. Cervical margin design significantly affected the fracture performance of lithium disilicate crowns but not zirconia. Chamfer preparations are recommended when using lithium disilicate to optimize mechanical strength. These findings underscore the importance of preparation geometry in guiding material selection for CAD/CAM ceramic restorations.