Clinical Research Directory

Clinical Assessment of Dynamic and Static Occlusal Contacts in Direct and Indirect Posterior Restorations

Sponsor: Marmara University

Summary

Conventional clinical evaluation of dental occlusion relies predominantly on qualitative indicators such as articulating papers, metallic foils, and silicone-based materials and the accuracy of these indicators may be influenced by material thickness, moisture contamination, and subjective interpretation. Quantitative assessment of occlusal contacts in direct and indirect posterior restorations may help clinicians to establish and maintain harmonious and proper dental occlusion. To assess the level of static and dynamic occlusal contact surfaces in direct and indirect restorations, clinically and quantitatively. Also, to compare outcomes between clinicians with two different levels of clinical experience, immediately and one month after the restorative procedures. Patients requiring restoration for maxillary or mandibular first molars were treated either with direct nanohybrid resin composite (Neo Spectra ST HV A2, Dentsply) restorations or indirect CAD/CAM (Cerasmart 270 HT A2, GC) restorations. The direct (n =30) and indirect (n =30) restorations of postgraduate clinicians and direct restorations (n=30) of undergraduate clinicians (5th grade) were compared immediately (T1) and one month (T2) after the restorative procedures. A single dental technician performed the digital design and the milling of all indirect restorations. Static and dynamic occlusal contact surfaces of the teeth were quantitatively assessed through the collected digital scans by an intraoral scanner (iTero Element 5D, Align), using a computer software program (ChairsideCAD 3.1, Exocad, Align), by setting contact distances to 10, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 350 μm, gradually. The static contacts were assessed by calculating the percentage of the occlusal contact surfaces to the entire occlusal contact surface for each restored tooth, using the ImageJ software program (National Institutes of Health). The dynamic contacts were assessed according to the presence (positive) or absence (negative), regarding 4 lateral movements of the mandibular arch (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mm on the working side) using a virtual articulator integrated to the ChairsideCAD.

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