2008 Volume 52 Issue 4 Pages 521-528
Purpose: Hard resins for crowns and bridges are widely used for esthetic restorations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mechanical properties of new commercial hard resins and to compare the results with those of the other hard resins previously investigated.
Methods: Dentin and enamel made with two new hard resins (Epricord®: EP, Kuraray, Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan and Prossimo®: PR, GC, Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) were used in this study. Regarding the fundamental characteristics, the thermal expansion/shrinkage coefficient, the filler content, the polymerization shrinkage, and the wear were examined. Regarding the strength of resin, the bending strength, hardness, compression strength, elastic modulus, and fracture strength of a jacket crown were measured.
Results: These resins showed comparatively lower levels than the other hard resins regarding the bending strength, hardness, compression strength, and fracture strength of the jacket crown. The total filler content rate and wear amount of these resins exhibited similar values to those of the other resins. The thermal expansion/shrinkage coefficients of these resins exhibited higher values than those of the other resins. EP showed a different tendency from PR about the compression strength, elastic modulus, and polymerization shrinkage.
Conclusions: PR and EP did not show dramatically better physical properties. However, the results of each examination in this study may be acceptable clinically. The results of each investigation changed according to the products used, and proper use for each case and application was suggested.
