J O U R N A L O F ESTHETIC D E N T I S T R Y

Post-bonding Crack Formation in Porcelain Veneers

NASSER BARGHI, DDS, M A *

T H O M A S G . BERRY, DDS, MA'

formation in the veneer. This

L ongitudinal studies of porce-
lain veneers have reported
low fracture rates, low degree of
microleakage, low incidence of
debonding, and little or no adverse
periodontal response.'J Fractures
of porcelain veneers are primarily
cohesive within the porcelain,
owing to the strong bond to the
tooth via the composite resin
luting agent.'"
One type of fracture that has not
been reported in the literature,
and is seldom noted even when it
occurs, is post-bonding crack
article discusses the problem of
craze-line formation in porcelain
veneers after completion of the
bonding with a composite
luting resin.
The cracking phenomenon was
first observed in the outpatient
clinic of the Dental School at the
University of Texas Health Science
Center at San Antonio in veneers
placed by a pre-doctoral student.
Subsequently,other dentists have
confirmed this observation by
anecdotal information of similar
crack or craze-line formations on
bonded porcelain veneers shortly
after the bonding procedure was
completed. They reported that
they had observed this cracking
to occur in canines and premolars
whose prepared facial surfaces
were quite curved. No signs of
microleakage at the crack sites
were observed. The cracks
occurred vertically along the
height of contour of the affected
teeth, except for one laminate that
cracked horizontally at the
incisogingival height of contour
(Figure 1).

Figure I . Left, Post-bonding vertical crack at mesiodistal height of contour on canine. Right, Post-bonding horizontal crack
at incisodistal height of contour on canine.

*Professorand H d , Division O f Esfhriic Dentishy, and 'Professor and Chairman, Department of

Restorative Dentishy, Uniwrsity o f Tkuu Health Science G n t ~ at
r San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas

VOLUME 9 . NUMBER 2 51
 JOuRNAl O F E S T H I T I L D E N T I S T R Y

Post-bonding Crack Formation in Porcelain Veneers

Figure 2. Maxillary canine prepared for porcelain veneer: left, f a d view; right, incisal view.

The vertical cracks simulated the Several causes for this cracking are during seating. Some, or all, of
craze lines that are often present in possible. Among those possibilities these may have played a role; how-
natural teeth. In some cases, they are: porcelain fatigue, microcrack ever, the primary cause of this
were actually complimentary to the propagation, functional loading, problem has not been determined.
appearance of the veneers because polymerization shrinkage of the
they resembled the artificial craze luting resin, and excessive pressure
lines often placed in porcelain
restorations by the ceramist.
Generally, the patient was unaware
of the crack l i e in the veneer.
Patients who noticed the vemcal
craze lies had no objections to
the appearance of the veneer with
the line in it. In contrast, the hori-
zontal crack was noticeable and
unnatural in appearance, causing
the patient to express some con-
cern over whether the horizontal
crack affected the esthetic results.
However, the concern was not
great enough that the patient
wished to have the veneer replaced.

Figure 3. Master die of prepared tooth showing excessive die spacer applied.

s2 1'997
 BARGHI A N D BERRY

An attempt was made to better

understand and demonstrate this
clinical problem and to test a
hypothesis to a limited degree, by
simulating the clinical situation in
a laboratory setting. The facial sur-
face of recently extracved human
canines was prepared according to
accepted preparation design for
porcelain veneers (Figure 2). Stone
dies were made from impressions.
The prepared facial surfaces were
then coated with a commercially
available die spacer. The mesial
and distal halves of the facial sur-
faces of the dies were coated with
four coats of die spacer, whereas
the mesiodistal height of contour Figure 4. Post-bonding vertical crack of the bonded veneer (left)and horizontal
was given only one light coating of crack in the gingival third of bonded veneer (right).
the spacer (Figure 3). Refractory
models were made and a felds-
Contraction gaps between bonded bond to the etched ~eramic.'.~
pathic porcelain was applied and
ceramic inlays and the tooth sur- The bond strength of composite
baked. Thin (0.5 mm) porcelain
veneers were fabricated and face have been reported to be as resin to etched and silanated
great as 1 to 7 pm.S This gap may porcelain has been reported to be
bonded to the prepared surface
with a lightcured composite resin also cause rupturing of the bond of in excess of the cohesive strength
luting agent. The prescribed steps the resin to the etched enamel? It of por~elain.~.' The bond strength
has been reported that contraction of composite resin to etched
for bonding veneers in a clinical
setting were strictly followed. gaps are reduced but not com- enamel has been reported to be in
pletely eliminated by using dentin excess of 25 MPa. One study
bonding agents and appropriate demonstrated a mean bond
The veneers on the teeth coated luting The contraction strength of porcelain to enamel
with excessive die spacer cracked gaps were demonstrated to be in a using a resin luting agent to be
vertically shortly after they were wall-to-wall direction, causing the 39.0 MPa 2 11.4 MPa.'O This is
immersed in room-temperature rupture of the luting resin.8 For certainly greater than the cohesive
water. Because the cracks were ceramic veneers, polymerization strength of conventional felds-
very narrow and because the sec- shrinkage generates a bending force pathic porcelain. The assumption
tions of the bonded veneer were on the veneer, with the stress con- that the high polymerization
not displaced, the cracks were not centrated at the point of bending. shrinkage stress of the luting resin
readily visible from most viewing This point of bending is the height is causing crack formation across
angles (Figure 4). One veneer did of contour, which has a minimal the facial surface of the veneer
not undergo post-bonding crack coating of die spacer. The force would seem a reasonable one at
formation in spite of the placement creates a competition between the this time.
of excessive die spacer. bond to the etched enamel and the

V O L U M E 9. N U M B E R 2 53
JOllRNAL O F bSTHFTIC DFNTISTRY
Post-bonding Crack Formation in Porcelain Veneers
Although it does not constitute a
scientific study, results of this pilot
study reinforce the observation
that post-bonding cracks are more
likely to form on teeth that have a
very convex prepared facial sur-
face. Excessive die spacer would
seem to be a precipitating factor in
initiating crack formation. This
observation should be further
examined in both in vitro and
in vivo studies to confirm this
hypothesis. Other theories on the
cause of post-bonding crack for-
mation should also be investigated.
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