Flexural Strength of Recently Advanced Lithium Disilicate Glass-ceramic CEREC Tessera: An In-vitro Study

Abstract

Introduction: Ceramic materials are quickly becoming the preferred materials for indirect restorations. The improvements in digital impression technology and manufacturing processes have led to the broad spectrum use of Computer-aided Design/ Computer-aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) in the fabrication of indirect restorations. Aim: To assess the biaxial flexural strength of the CAD/CAM Advanced Lithium Disilicate (ALDS) glass-ceramic CEREC Tessera and compare it with that of LDS IPS e.max CAD. Materials and Methods: An in-vitro study was conducted at the Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from September 2022 to September 2023 to assess the flexural strength of advanced LDS (CEREC Tessera; Dentsply Sirona) in comparison with LDS (IPS e.max CAD; Ivoclar Vivadent). A total of 10 specimens of each material were tested for flexural strength using an Instron universal machine. The data were analysed using a t-test with a significance level of α=0.05. Results: A significantly lower mean flexural strength was observed in the ALDS group compared to the LDS group, with a p-value of 0.00008. Conclusion: The LDS exhibited greater flexural strength than advanced LDS.