Retention and resistance of preparations for

cast restorations
Roger G. Potts, D.D.S.,* Herbert T. Shillingburg, Jr., D. D. S.,** and
Manville G. Duncanson, Jr., D.D.S., Ph.D.,***
The University of Oklahoma, College of Dentistry, Oklahoma City, Okla.

lh e problem of dislodged cast restorations is axial grooves (Fig. l), three-quarter partial veneer
familiar. Crown displacement often occurs because crown with axial grooves (Fig. 2), seven-eighths
the features of the tooth preparation do not counter- partial veneer crown without axial grooves (Fig. 3),
act the forces directed against the restorations. seven-eighths partial veneer crown with axial
Therefore the design of the tooth preparation is an grooves (Fig. 4), and complete veneer crown without
important consideration in tooth reconstruction. grooves (Fig. 5). The preparations had axial walls 6
The use of certain geometric features in prepara- mm in length with a 6-degree taper. Axial grooves,
tions for cast restorations has been based largely on when present, were approximately 5.5 mm long and
experience and individual preference. Early studies 1 mm in diameter.
of designs of preparations were based on theoretical
Die fabrication
considerations of the way in which preparation
features could be expected to geometrically resist A master die was made with an ivorine tooth set in
tipping and removal forces.‘-” Experimental studies a tapered, grooved plastic base. A three-quarter
of the problem have focused on mechanical analysis partial veneer crown preparation without grooves
of the relationship between degree of taper, surface was prepared in the ivorine tooth. The buccal
area, preparation length, and the force necessary to surface was recontoured to eliminate all undercuts. A
remove cemented castings from machined dies. ‘. ’ mold was made of the die in a plastic tube with a
The retentive capabilities of various complete and silicone putty and wash.* The mold was poured with
partial veneer designs have also been assessed.“. ’ an acrylic resin? of fluid consistency. The plastic die
The objective of this study was to evaluate the was hollowed-out and filled with baseplate wax,
effect of preparation designs on retention and since early attempts at investing solid plastic
resistance. Retention prevents removal of a cast patterns invariably resulted in a severely cracked
restoration along the path of insertion or long axis of mold on burnout. A 0.25-inch diameter bolt, 1.5
the tooth preparation. Resistance prevents dislodge- inches in length, was imbedded in the wax in the
ment of the restoration by forces directed in an base of the die pattern. This bolt was later used for
apical or oblique direction and prevents any move- attaching the die to the testing apparatus. A phos-
ment of the restoration under occlusal forces.” phate-bonded investmentS was used to invest the
pattern, and the dies were cast in a nickel-chrome
MATERIALS AND METHODS alloy.8 The alloy’s modulus of elasticity, 25.5 X lo6
Test dies were made for each of five preparation psi, and its Vickers hardness No., 340, were such that
designs: three-quarter partial veneer crown without it could withstand the forces to which the dies would
be subjected during loading of the cast restora-
Presented at the 56th General Session of the International tions.Y
Association for Dental Research, Washington, D.C.
When a grooveless three-quarter preparation die
This study was supported in part by a grant from the Kerr Mfg.
CO.
had been successfully cast, the ivorine three-quarter
*Assistant Professor, Department of Fixed Prosthodontics.
**Professor and Chairman, Department of Fixed Prosthodon- *Xantopren and Optosil, Unitek Corp., Monrovia, Calif
tics. TDuralay, Reliance Dental Mfg. Co., Chicago, 111.
***Associate Professor and Chairman, Department of Dental SCeramigold, Whip-Mix Corp., Louisville, Ky.
Materials. §Gemini II, Kerr Mfg. Co., Romulus, Mich.

00’2%3913/80/030303+ 06$00.60/O0 1980 The C. V. M&y Co. THE JOURNAL OF PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY 303
 POTTS, SHILLINGBURG, AND DUNCANSON

Fig. 1. A three-quarter partial veneer crown preparation Fig. 3. A seven-eighths partial veneer crown preparation
without grooves. without grooves.

Fig. 2. A three-quarter partial veneer crown preparation Fig. 4. A’seven-eighths partial veneer crown preparation
with grooves. with grooves.

preparation was modified by the addition of grooves. piece mold was made of nickel-chrome alloy to
The entire process was repeated to produce a nickel- accurately reproduce the external contours of the
chrome die of that preparation. To produce the castings (Fig. 6). To produce a pattern, the two
grooveless seven-eighths preparation, the grooves halves of the mold were assembled and secured with
from the previous preparations were filled with inlay a U-bolt. A thin mix of Duralay resin was poured
wax. The process was repeated until a nickel-chrome into the mold, and the die was seated using the
die had been produced for each of the five prepara- grooves in the mouth of the mold to accurately orient
tions. the die (Fig. 7). After polymerization the clamp was
loosened and the mold was split apart, freeing the die
Pattern fabrication with the acrylic resin pattern.
Split molds have been described for producing The patterns were -designed so that the crowns
castings of uniform thickness and contour.“’ A two- would have a fossa approximately 4 mm in diameter

304 MARCH 1980 VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

RETENTION AND RESISTANCE OF PREPARATIONS

Fig. 5. A complete veneer crown preparation without

grooves.

Fig. 7. A die is inserted into the assembled split mold.

Fig. 6. The U-clamp and the two halves of the split

mold.

and 2 mm deep in the center of the buccal incline of

the lingual cusp. An 8-gauge round wax form was
attached to the marginal ridges to produce a U-
shaped sprue (Fig. 8). The fossa accommodated a
steel ball bearing to which the forces for resistance
testing would be applied. The U-shaped sprue
provided the attachment for testing retention.
Before each cementation, the castings and dies
were pickled in hydrochloric acid, cleaned in an
ultrasonic bath for 10 minutes, dipped in acetone,
and then dried with a blast of air. Zinc phosphate
cement* was mixed for 60 seconds on a 70” F glass
slab. Each casting was cemented with 11.5 pounds
seating pressure for 10 minutes.” The cemented Fig. 8. A test die with a cemented seven-eighths crown is
castings were stored in a humidor for 24 hours before ready for testing. Note the U-shaped sprue for retention
testing. testing and the fossa on the occlusal surface for resistance
Each casting was tested first for retention. The dies testing.
with cemented crowns were fixed to a machined
metal base which was secured to the load cell of an apparatus attached to the cross-head of the Instron
Instron testing machine? (Fig. 9). A self-aligning was connected to the U-sprue of the crown, so that
the long axis of the preparation was coincident with
*Fleck’s Cement, Mizzy Inc., Clifton Forge, Va the path of removal. The crowns were separated
thstron Corp., Canton, Mass. from the dies at a cross-head rate of 0.05 inches per

THE JOURNAL OF PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY 305

 POTTS, SHILLINGBURG, AND DUNCANSON

Fig. 9. A chain is attached to the casting to test retention by tensile removal.

Fig. 10. A stylus is used to test resistance by compressive removal. The machined prop
prevented damage to the bolt embedded in the die.

minute, and the tensile forces required for crown
removal were recorded as retention values.
The U-sprues were removed from the crowns aftkr
retention testing, and the ‘dies and crowns were
recleaned and cemented as described previdusly for
retention testing. Testing for resistance of the prepa-
ration designs was accomplished by applying a
dislodging force in a direction oblique to the path of
their insertion. The die with cemented cagting was
bolted onto a 45-degree ramp in a machined
stabilizing block which was positioned and secured
to the load cell of the Instron machine (Fig. 10). To
prevent damage to the die during testing, a
machined support was placed under it. A ball
bearing Y:z inch in diameter was placed in the fossa
on the lingual cusp of the crown.
A tapered steel stylus attached to the cross-
head of the Instron was lowered into position until a

306 MARCH 1980 VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

RETENTION AND RESISTANCE OF PREPARATIONS

3000f ;;
:
2000 - 5:: 1828
0
z

Fig. 11. Retention values are shown for each of the five Fig. It. Resistancevalues are shown for each of the five
preparation designs tested. preparation designs tested.

concave depression in its tip was firmly seated over Table I. Retention forces (pounds)
the ball bearing. Compressive force was applied at a
cross-head rate of 0.05 inches per minute until the Preparationdesign Mean SD
~~~-
crown was dislodged. The forces were measured and % Partial veneer crown (No grooves) 92 7.6
recorded as resistance values. Retention and W’Partial veneer crown (Grooves) 106 8.B
resistance tests were conducted with 10 different 7/aPartial veneer crown (No grooves) 94 5.9
7/sPartial veneer crown (Grooves) 114 10.6
castings for each of the five preparation designs.
Complete crown (No grooves) 243 36.7
RESULTS Note: n = 10.
Arithmetic means, and standard deviations were
computed for the retention and resistance values Table II. Resistance forces (pounds)
obtained from the respective preparation designs.
The means and standard deviations for retention Preparationdesign Mean SD
forces are shown in Table I, and those for resistance % Partial veneer crown [No grooves) 267 27.j
are in Table II. The data were interpreted by % Partial veneer crown (Grooves) 1366 41.0
comparing the means for retention values for the five 7/ePartial veneer crown (No grooves) 943 39.7
preparation designs by means of Duncan’s New 7/sPartial veneer crown (Grooves) 1828 65.8
Complete crown (No grooves) 3119 2’45.7
Multiple Range Test at a 5% significance level. The
data for resistance forces were analyzed similarly. Note:n = 10
Although there was an apparent slight increase in
retention values with the addition of grooves and/or extension was total. This was evident for both the
extension of axial surface coverage in the partial three-quarter and seven-eighths design series.
veneer designs, the increase in retention for those Extending surface coverage to the complete crown
preparation designs was not statistically significant. design more than doubled the retention exhibited by
However, there was a significant difference between any of the four partial veneer preparation designs.
the retention values for the partial veneer prepara- A possible explanation for the insignificant gains
tions and for the full veneer preparations (Fig. 11). in retention associated with the addition of grooves
There was significant differences among the may rest with the fact that placement of a groove
resistance values for all of the preparation designs adds very little to the total surface area of the
(Fig. 12). preparation. This might also explain the insignifi-
cant increase in retention as axial surface coverage is
DISCUSSION increased from a three-quarter to a seven-eighths
The addition of grooves to partial veneer prepara- preparation.
tions did not significantly augment retention; nei- However, the relatively small increase in surface
ther did extending axial surface coverage unless that area covered between a seven-eighths and a complete

THE JOURNAL OF PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY 307

 POTTS, SHILLINGBURG, AND DUNCANSON

crown preparation does not explain the significantly 2. Smyd, E. S.: Advanced thought in indirect inlay and
greater retention associated with full coverage. fixed-bridge fabrication, Part II. J Am Dent Assoc 31:913,
1944.
Obviously, factors other than surface area alone
3. Rosenstiel, E.: The retention of inlays and crowns as a
must come into play when explaining the greater function of geometrical form. Br Dent J, Ser. 2, 103:388,
retention associated with full veneer crowns. 1957.
The primary function served by the traditional 4. J@rgensen, K. D.: The relationship between retention and
proximal groove in the partial veneer crown prepa- convergence angle in cemented veneer crowns. Acta Odontol
Stand 13:35, 1955.
ration is resistance. The extension of axial coverage
5. Kaufman, E. G., Coelho, D. H., and Laurence, C.: Factors
of the restoration onto the surface on the same side influencing the retention of cemented gold castings. J
from which the forces are being directed enhances PRoswET DENT 11:487, 1961.
resistance. Combining these features, i.e., grooves 6. Lorey, R. E., and Myers, G. E.: The retentive qualities of
and coverage of the distal half of the buccal surface, bridge retainers. J Am Dent Assoc 76:568, 1968.
7. Reisbick, M. H., and Shillingburg, H. T.: Effect of prepara-
produces a cumulative effect on resistance.
tion geometry on retention and resistance of cast gold
Resistance is increased by any preparation feature restorations. Calif Dent Assoc J 3:51, 1975.
which opposes dislodgement of the restoration by 8. Shillingburg, H. ‘I‘., Hobo, S., and Whitsett, L. D.: Funda-
nonaxial external forces. mentals of Fixed Prosthodontics. Berlin, 1976, Buch-und
Zeitschriften-Verlag “Die Quintessenz,” p 67.
SUMMARY 9. Moffa, J, P.: Physical and mechanical properties of gold and
base alloys. In Valega, T. M. (ed): Alternatives, to Gold
Five preparation designs were tested for retention Alloys in Dentistry. DHEW Pub. No. (NIH)77-1227, Wash-
and resistance. Retention values for all partial veneer ington, 1977, U.S. Government Printing Office, p 85.
crowns were significantly lower than those for the 10. Shillingburg, H. T., Hobo, S., atid Fisher, D. W.: Prepara-
complete veneer crown. Resistance values increased tion design and margin distortion in porcelain-fused-to-
metal restorations. J PROSTHET DENT 29:276, 1973.
significantly with the addition of grooves and/or
11. J@rgensen, K. D.: Factors affecting the film thickness of zinc
extension of axial surface coverage. Addition of phosphate cements. Acta Odontol Stand l&479, 1960.
grooves and/or extension of axial surface coverage
produced small increases in retention values but Reprint re9uesfs to.
marked increases in resistance values. DR. HERBERT T. SHILLINGBURG, JR
U~I~LKXL.L. OF OKLAHOMA
REFERENCES COLLEGE OF DENTISTRY
1. Smyd, E. S.: Advanced thought in indirect inlay and OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. 73190
fixed-bridge fabrication, Part I. J Am Dent Assoc 31:759,
1944.

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308 MARCH 1980 VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3