Tooth stiffness with composite veneers: a strain gauge and finite element evaluation.

OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to determine the impact of composite veneer procedures on the functional properties of incisors. METHODS Ten extracted human maxillary central incisors were mounted in pairs in a nylon ring. One strain gauge was bonded along the long axis of each tooth on the center of the lingual surface. Each pair formed half of a Wheatstone bridge circuit and was wired to eliminate all but the voltage resulting from experimentally applied procedures. The teeth were ramp-loaded to 50 N near the incisal edge on the lingual surface. Loading was performed on the unaltered teeth, teeth with preparations and restored teeth. Two-dimensional finite element (FE) models were generated to evaluate each test condition. Relative stiffness, compared with the unaltered tooth, was calculated from measurements with the strain gauge steps and from the FE models. RESULTS A relative stiffness value of unity represents recovery of stiffness to the level of the unaltered tooth. Both methods of evaluation demonstrated a decrease in mean relative stiffness with each subsequent reduction in tooth structure. The composite restoration increased its mean relative stiffness compared to its corresponding preparation but never to the level of the unaltered tooth. Across all procedures, the two-dimensional FE model correlated well in both direction and magnitude with the experimental strain gauge method (R = 0.83). SIGNIFICANCE A resin composite veneer does not restore the stiffness to the level of an unaltered tooth.