Effect of an Occlusal Screw-Access Hole on the Fracture Resistance of Permanently Cemented Implant Crowns: A Laboratory Study

This study aimed to evaluate the fracture resistance of cement-retained metal-ceramic implant-supported posterior crowns. Three groups of 10 restorations each were tested: group A (cement-retained using zinc phosphate), group B (cement-retained using zinc oxide-eugenol), and group C (cement-retained using zinc phosphate but with an occlusal screw-access hole). All specimens were thermocycled and vertically loaded in a universal testing machine. Mean values of fracture loads were calculated and analyzed statistically. The cement-retained restorations without an occlusal screw-access hole showed significantly higher mean fracture loads than those having one. The type of cement did not affect the porcelain fracture resistance significantly.