Comparative evaluation of antagonistic enamel wear against Zirconia and Bioflx in primary teeth: An in vitro study.

CONTEXT: Dental caries remains a leading cause of early tooth loss in children, often necessitating full coronal restorations. With the rising demand for esthetic restorations, preformed zirconia and the newly introduced Bioflx crowns have emerged as alternatives to stainless steel crowns. However, their effect on the antagonistic wear of primary teeth remains underexplored.

AIMS: To evaluate and compare the wear of primary natural teeth when opposed by two preformed aesthetic crowns, Zirconia and Bioflex, against natural primary teeth.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Eighty primary teeth and 40 crown discs (20 zirconia, 20 Bioflx) were divided into three groups ( n = 20 each): Group A (primary canines vs. zirconia discs), Group B (primary canines vs. Bioflx discs), and Group C (primary canines vs. primary molars). Wear testing was performed using a CS-4 masticatory simulator. Enamel wear was quantified via three-dimensional scanning and Boolean operations, while material wear was assessed through pre- and posttest weight measurements.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Paired t -tests, one-way ANOVA ( P < 0.05), Tukey's post hoc analysis.

RESULTS

Group A exhibited the highest enamel wear (7.69 mm 3 ), followed by Group C (6.59 mm 3 ) and Group B (4.28 mm 3 ). A statistically significant difference was observed between Groups A and B ( P = 0.019).

CONCLUSIONS

Bioflx crowns caused significantly less antagonistic enamel wear than zirconia crowns, suggesting superior wear compatibility.