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Purpose: To compare the influence of surface roughness and accelerated aging on the mechanical properties of polymer-based and ceramic CAD/CAM materials., Materials and Methods: Three polymers (Lava Ultimate [LVU], VITA ENAMIC [ENA], and Shofu Block HC [SFB]) and one ceramic (IPS Empress CAD [EMP]) were selected for this study. The specimens were treated with the aim of measuring surface roughness (Ra [mm]) and its influence on the mechanical properties. The treatments were: polishing (POL); etching with 9.6% hydrofluoric acid for 90 seconds (ETC); airborne-particle abrasion with 50-μm aluminum oxide at 2-bar pressure (SBT); and airborne-particle abrasion with 50-μm aluminum oxide at 2-bar pressure plus etching with 9.6% hydrofluoric acid (SAC) for 90 seconds. Before and after the accelerated aging (AA) protocol (30,000 cycles, 5°C and 55°C), the specimens were subjected to the 3-point bending test. The data were analyzed with two-way and three-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey test (P < .05)., Results: The surface roughness ranged from 0.24 μm to 1.96 μm, with statistically significant differences (P < .05). The highest surface roughness, in descending order, was exhibited by: LVU > SFB > EMP > ENA. The AA demonstrated an influence on the flexural strength of LVU, ENA, and SFB. The surface treatment did not affect the flexural moduli of the materials tested. The LVU and SFB showed decreased moduli of resilience after the AA; however, modulus of resilience was not influenced by surface treatment., Conclusion: The polymer-based materials were affected by AA. In addition, surface treatment could jeopardize their mechanical properties in certain conditions.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the machinability of four CAD/CAM materials (n = 13) assessed by brittleness index, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness and interaction among such mechanical properties. The materials selected in this in vitro study are Feldspathic ceramic [FC], Lithium-disilicate glass ceramic [LD], leucite-reinforced glass ceramic [LR], and nanofilled resin material [RN]. Slices were made from the blocks following original dimensions 14 × 12 × 3 mm (L × W × H), using a precision slow-speed saw device and then surfaces were regularized through a polishing device. Brittleness index and fracture toughness were calculated by the use of specific equations for each one of the properties. The Vickers hardness was calculated automated software in the microhardness device. One-way Anova and Pearson's correlation were applied to data evaluation. LD obtained the highest values for brittleness index and was not significantly different from FC. LR presented statistically significant difference compared with RN, which had the lowest mean. Vickers hardness showed LD with the highest average, and no statistical difference was found between FC and LR. RN presented the lowest average. Fracture toughness showed FC and LR not statistically different from each other, likewise LD and RN. The brittleness index, considered also as the machinability of a material, showed within this study as positively dependent on Vickers hardness, which leads to conclusion that hardness of ceramics is related to its milling capacity. In addition, fracture toughness of pre-sintered ceramics is compared to polymer-based materials.

Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) materials were submitted to thermocycling, to identify changes in mechanical behavior. Four CAD/CAM materials were divided in four subordinate groups (n=9): (1) dry out for 7 days, (2) distilled water at 37oC for 7 days, (3) 60,000 thermocycles, and (4) 120,000 thermocycles. Following thermocycling, samples were submitted to three-point bending test. Two-way ANOVA and post-hoc Tukey's test were performed (a=0.05). The IPS e.max CAD had a flexural strength of 396±75 MPa and flexural modulus of 84±11 GPa, followed by Vita Enamic with values of 153±17 MPa and 28±5 GPa respectively. The flexural strength recorded for Lava Ultimate was 149±28 MPa and the flexural modulus was 12±3 GPa. Vitablocs Mark II had the lowest flexural strength values (125±10 MPa) and a flexural modulus of 49±15 GPa. Although polymer-based materials have similar mechanical properties compared to ceramics, they are affected by thermo cycling conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]