DENTAL RESTORATION WITH OCCLUSAL ISLAND: A FINITE ELEMENT METHOD STUDY (Atena Editora)

Abstract

When a posterior tooth has its functionality compromised, it must be repaired with a restorative material. In order to verify the potential use of types of occlusal islands for the recovery of regions in occlusal contact, the present study compared the stress distribution when applying a central load of 291.36 N, simulating centric bruxism (BC), in a sound maxillary 2nd premolar tooth (HC), with a Class 1 restoration in Filtek bulk fill posterior resin without (RC) and with (RICC) occlusal islands in Vita Enamic hybrid ceramic in two regions of occlusal contact in cusps. BC loading was also compared on the supporting cusp of a sound mandibular second premolar (HV) with a sloped restoration in Filtek posterior bulk fill resin (RV) and in Vita Enamic hybrid ceramic (ICV). The MSC.Patran program was used in the construction of the six finite element models, the processing was carried out in the MSC.Nastran, and the von Mises stress distribution, principal maximum and maximum shear stress were evaluated. The RC and RICC models in relation to the HC reduced the tensile stresses in the remaining enamel and at the enamel/resin interface, but caused an increase in the tensile stresses in the region between the islands. The ICV model compared to the RV model reduced the tensile stresses in the remaining enamel and in the island/enamel interface. It is concluded that in Class I restorations, the use of an occlusal island made of Vita Enamic hybrid ceramic on cusps and housed in Filtek bulk fill resin or the use of an occlusal island in a slope produces a beneficial effect on the longevity of the dental restoration in regions in occlusal contact injured by BC when the tooth is the upper or lower 2nd premolar, respectively. Therefore, the occlusal island can function as a sacrificial element, preserving the other structures, while there is no definitive solution for the patient's BC.