As fissuras palatinas além de envolvem o osso alveolar podem promover a ausência do dente incisivo lateral ou apresenta-lo severamente comprometido. Nesses casos sua reabilitação poderá ser feita por próteses parciais fixas convencionais ou por prótese sobre implantes, geralmente após uma cirurgia de enxerto ósseo na região. Todavia além da estética, se faz necessário investigar sobre o potencial de força oclusal que essas reabilitações proporcionam. Assim, o propósito desse estudo foi avaliar a força máxima de mordida em indivíduos com fissura labiopalatina unilateral reabilitados com prótese parcial fixa convencional e sobre implantes e comparar esses resultados com o lado contralateral e com indivíduos sem fissura. A amostra foi constituída por 50 indivíduos, 25 pacientes com fissura (15 reabilitados com próteses parciais fixas convencionais e 10 sobre implantes) e 25 indivíduos sem fissura com dentes naturais. A força de mordida máxima foi mensurada por um único examinador utilizando o gnatodinamômetro, registrado nas regiões reabilitadas de incisivo lateral e canino, região de molares e incisivos centrais. Os valores médios obtidos, e a análise estatística com os testes t de Student e t de Student pareado permitiram observar que no mesmo indivíduo, a força de mordida do lado não afetado foi estatisticamente superior quando comparado com o lado da fissura reabilitado com prótese (p=0,005). O grupo reabilitado com prótese fixa convencional apresentou a força máxima de mordida estatisticamente igual ao grupo com prótese fixa sobre implante (p=0,781). Considerando os grupos experimental e controle na região de molares os resultados foram estatisticamente iguais (lado afetado p=0,082 e não afetado p=0,066). Na região de incisivo lateral e canino, o lado correspondente ao afetado no grupo-controle, apresentou força máxima de mordida estatisticamente maior que o grupo-experimental (p=0,004), enquanto no lado correspondente ao não afetado os resultados foram iguais. Na região de incisivos centrais o resultado médio do grupo-controle também foi estatisticamente maior que o experimental (p=0,005) / The cleft palate involving the alveolar bone may have the lateral incisor tooth missing or severely compromised. In such cases rehabilitation can be done through fixed dental prostheses or implant-supported fixed dental prostheses, generally after a bone graft surgery in the region. However, beyond aesthetics, it is necessary to investigate the potential for occlusal force that these rehabilitations provide. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the maximum bite force in subjects with unilateral cleft lip and palate rehabilitated with fixed dental prostheses or implantsupported fixed dental prostheses and compare the results with the contralateral side and with individuals without cleft. The sample consisted of 50 subjects, 25 patients with cleft (15 rehabilitated with fixed dental prostheses and 10 with implant-supported fixed dental prostheses) and 25 individuals without cleft and with natural teeth. The maximum bite force was measured by means of gnathodynamometer, registered in the rehabilitated lateral incisor and canine region, molars region and incisors regions by a single examiner. The obtained average values, and the statistical analysis with the Student t test and paired Student t test allowed to be observed that on the same individual the bite force on the side that was not affected was statistically superior when compared to the side of the rehabilitated cleft with prosthesis (p=0,005). The rehabilitated group with conventional prostheses presented maximum bite force statistically equal to the group with the implant-supported fixed dental prostheses (p=0,781). Considering the experimental and control groups on the molar regions, the results were statistically equal (affected side p=0,082 e non-affected p=0,066). The lateral incisor and canine region from the correspondent affected side on the control group presented maximum bite force statistically higher than the experimental group (p=0,004), on the non-affected side the results were the same. In the incisor region, the average result of the control group was also statistically higher than the experimental group (p=0,005)

Due to the increasing demand from patients and dentists for highly aesthetic and strong, metal-free restorations there has been a rapid increase in research into dental CAD CAM technique and zirconia based restorations over the last decade. Such new technology has the potential to take the place of conventional techniques and materials for fabricating indirect dental restorations in the future. In this PhD thesis, five laboratory studies were designed to investigate zirconia bridges constructed using dental CAD CAM. The studies concentrated on: 1. Ideal force applied by dentists for cementing zirconia bridges and the impact on seating. 2. The effect of firing cycles and zirconia thickness on the fit of zirconia bridges. 3. The effect of span length on the fit of three and four unit all zirconia bridges. 4. The effect of veneering on the strength of three unit zirconia bridges. 5. The fit of three unit all zirconia bridges produced by digital and conventional techniques. For these laboratory studies an ideal three unit (and four unit for study 3) fixed-fixed all ceramic bridge preparation was carried out on two plastic teeth and all SLA models and zirconia based bridges were made using the Lava COS and Lava™ CAD CAM system (3M, ESPE). In addition to the laboratory studies, a clinical audit was carried out to assess satisfaction (dentist, dental technician and patient) with zirconia based restorations (through a xvi series of questionnaires) made and fitted at Dundee Dental Hospital and School. In addition, as part of this audit a simple cost analysis was carried out to explore the differences in cost between zirconia based restorations and high fusing gold alloy based metal ceramic restorations. Four of the studies (studies 1, 2, 3 and 5) investigated the internal and marginal fit of the zirconia based restorations under differing laboratory and clinical procedures and conditions. It was found that the seating force used to cement a zirconia based bridge had no impact upon fit (Study 1). Whilst the thickness of zirconia (all-zirconia bridge and un-veneered zirconia framework) did not affect the fit of the restoration, veneering the framework did lead to a statistically significant deterioration in fit (Study 2). Although leading to a poorer fit veneering did have a positive effect in strengthening the zirconia framework, but neither un-veneered nor veneered frameworks were as strong as monolithic/all zirconia bridges (Study 4). Despite the high shrinkage during post milling sintering and the potential for greater distortion on longer span bridges, the longer span bridges investigated in Study 3 did not impact upon fit. In study 1, 2, 3 and 4 the Lava COS intra-oral scanner was used to create a digital impression of the tooth preparations and study 5 confirmed that the fit of bridges made from these impressions were better than those made using conventional addition cured silicone putty and wash impressions (Study 5). The results of the questionnaires used in the audit revealed high satisfaction rates with all stake holders and the cost analysis showed that producing zirconia based restorations can be five to six times cheaper than conventional gold based restorations. Despite the variations in fit which were found in Studies 2 and 5, all bridges produced were within what would be regarded as clinically acceptable and comparable to those produced with more traditional techniques.

As fissuras palatinas além de envolvem o osso alveolar podem promover a ausência do dente incisivo lateral ou apresenta-lo severamente comprometido. Nesses casos sua reabilitação poderá ser feita por próteses parciais fixas convencionais ou por prótese sobre implantes, geralmente após uma cirurgia de enxerto ósseo na região. Todavia além da estética, se faz necessário investigar sobre o potencial de força oclusal que essas reabilitações proporcionam. Assim, o propósito desse estudo foi avaliar a força máxima de mordida em indivíduos com fissura labiopalatina unilateral reabilitados com prótese parcial fixa convencional e sobre implantes e comparar esses resultados com o lado contralateral e com indivíduos sem fissura. A amostra foi constituída por 50 indivíduos, 25 pacientes com fissura (15 reabilitados com próteses parciais fixas convencionais e 10 sobre implantes) e 25 indivíduos sem fissura com dentes naturais. A força de mordida máxima foi mensurada por um único examinador utilizando o gnatodinamômetro, registrado nas regiões reabilitadas de incisivo lateral e canino, região de molares e incisivos centrais. Os valores médios obtidos, e a análise estatística com os testes t de Student e t de Student pareado permitiram observar que no mesmo indivíduo, a força de mordida do lado não afetado foi estatisticamente superior quando comparado com o lado da fissura reabilitado com prótese (p=0,005). O grupo reabilitado com prótese fixa convencional apresentou a força máxima de mordida estatisticamente igual ao grupo com prótese fixa sobre implante (p=0,781). Considerando os grupos experimental e controle na região de molares os resultados foram estatisticamente iguais (lado afetado p=0,082 e não afetado p=0,066). Na região de incisivo lateral e canino, o lado correspondente ao afetado no grupo-controle, apresentou força máxima de mordida estatisticamente maior que o grupo-experimental (p=0,004), enquanto no lado correspondente ao não afetado os resultados foram iguais. Na região de incisivos centrais o resultado médio do grupo-controle também foi estatisticamente maior que o experimental (p=0,005) / The cleft palate involving the alveolar bone may have the lateral incisor tooth missing or severely compromised. In such cases rehabilitation can be done through fixed dental prostheses or implant-supported fixed dental prostheses, generally after a bone graft surgery in the region. However, beyond aesthetics, it is necessary to investigate the potential for occlusal force that these rehabilitations provide. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the maximum bite force in subjects with unilateral cleft lip and palate rehabilitated with fixed dental prostheses or implantsupported fixed dental prostheses and compare the results with the contralateral side and with individuals without cleft. The sample consisted of 50 subjects, 25 patients with cleft (15 rehabilitated with fixed dental prostheses and 10 with implant-supported fixed dental prostheses) and 25 individuals without cleft and with natural teeth. The maximum bite force was measured by means of gnathodynamometer, registered in the rehabilitated lateral incisor and canine region, molars region and incisors regions by a single examiner. The obtained average values, and the statistical analysis with the Student t test and paired Student t test allowed to be observed that on the same individual the bite force on the side that was not affected was statistically superior when compared to the side of the rehabilitated cleft with prosthesis (p=0,005). The rehabilitated group with conventional prostheses presented maximum bite force statistically equal to the group with the implant-supported fixed dental prostheses (p=0,781). Considering the experimental and control groups on the molar regions, the results were statistically equal (affected side p=0,082 e non-affected p=0,066). The lateral incisor and canine region from the correspondent affected side on the control group presented maximum bite force statistically higher than the experimental group (p=0,004), on the non-affected side the results were the same. In the incisor region, the average result of the control group was also statistically higher than the experimental group (p=0,005)