Glass Fiber-Reinforced Dental Bridges - Clinical and Mechanical Properties

Bridges from composites reinforced with glass fibres are options for treating the absence of a single tooth, as a temporary but aesthetic solution for both anterior and lateral dental arch. This study aimed to determine clinical and mechanical properties of dental bridges using everStick C&B (GC) and Construct (Kerr) associated with GC Essentia Composite (GC Corporation, Japan) applied on four samples. The tests were done with the help of Universal Testing Machine, data recorded by a computer, and the evaluation of flexural strength and fatigue resistance revealed in specific diagrams. The fatigue resistance for bridges with FRC tested shown in diagrams, the force variations and the values of resistance in some points of each bridge. The tests demonstrate the possibility to increase endurance of such dental bridges, because the flexural strength and fatigue resistance are significantly increased by the fibres reinforcement (p < 0,001). The mechanical properties of the glass fibres reinforced composites evaluated show that FRCs are considerably stronger under the condition to enrich the matrix of FRC with glass fibre bundle type E for example, as there is GC everStick Crown & Bridge, which represent a perfect option to treat the space of one single tooth absence.