Survival of Implant-Supported All-Ceramic Prostheses

Brief Summary

The purpose of this research study is to identify reasons that cause an all-ceramic bridge to fracture which include the thickness of the bridge material, the type of bridge material and the bite force of the person. This all-ceramic bridge will be compared to a metal-ceramic bridge. The investigators are conducting this study so we can make bridges which can withstand forces in the mouth which tend to break them. The overall objective of this research is to analyze how properties of ceramic materials and different forces in the mouth interact with each other to affect the longevity of these bridges. These include fracture toughness, elastic modulus of ceramic layers and supporting substrate, core thickness, connector height, wear, loading orientation, and maximum clenching force.