Marginal and Internal Adaptation of Lithium Disilicate Endocrowns Fabricated By Heat-Pressable and Subtractive Techniques.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and to compare the marginal and the internal fit of milled (MLE) and heat-pressed lithium disilicate endocrowns (PLE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty mandibular molars were prepared following the circumferential butt margin endocrown preparations; the cervical margin is parallel to the occlusal surface without ferrule design. A digital scan of molars was made using an intraoral digital scanner. The samples were separated into two groups (n = 15 per group); MLE: endocrowns were milled using LDS blocks and a 5-axis milling machine, PLE: endocrowns were heat-pressed using lost wax technique and LDS ingots. Marginal and internal adaptation were assessed using a replica technique and a stereomicroscope, selecting 32 measurements on each endocrown. Data were analyzed with one-way repeated measures ANOVA, two-way repeated measures ANOVA, student's t-test and paired student t-test (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: Statistically significant interactions were recorded between fabrication technique and region (p < 0.05), F (1.97, 27.69) = 5.462. Group MLE displayed significantly smaller gaps than PLE in all regions (p < 0.001). The largest gap was observed at the pulpal floor in both groups. The internal gap was significantly larger than the marginal gap in MLE group (p < 0.001), while no statistically significant difference was observed in PLE group (p = 0.082). CONCLUSION: Heat-pressed and milled lithium disilicate endocrowns are clinically suitable, but the milled technique displayed a better fit than heat-pressed technique when marginal and internal adaptation were examined.