Fracture force of cantilevered zirconia frameworks: An in vitro study

Abstract

Statement of problem Little evidence is available showing the effect of connector dimension and cantilever length on the ultimate fracture force of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) zirconia implant frameworks. Purpose The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of variations in the cross-sectional dimension of connector sites and variations in the effective cantilever length (load point) on zirconia implant frameworks. This would allow verification of the fracture force with 2 proposed mathematical models. Material and methods Forty zirconia implant-supported frameworks with 12-mm distal cantilevers were divided into 4 equal test groups (n=10). Connector ..