Chipping of veneering ceramic on a lithium disilicate anterior single crown: Description of repair method and a fractographic failure analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This article presents a retrospective analysis of an anterior single crown that showed chipping of the veneering ceramic, the clinical stages of intraoral repair made in composite resin, and fractographic analysis of the causes of failure.

CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS: The ceramic chipping occurred in the incisal and labial surfaces of the crown, 1 year after installation. Clinical examination revealed the presence of occlusal interference, which was probably responsible for chipping. Vinyl-polysiloxane impression was made from the patient, and epoxy replica was produced. The replica was gold coated and inspected under the optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM) for descriptive fractography. Optical microscopy and SEM images showed that chipping initiated at the incisal edge, where it is possible to note an area of damage accumulation. At the labial surface, multiple arrest lines with their convex sides facing the incisal edge were observed. The fractured area was repaired intraorally with composite resin, and the patient's occlusion was checked and monitored.

CONCLUSION: According to the fractographic analysis, occlusal interference was related to ceramic chipping in the incisal edge. Intraoral repair technique with composite resin was indicated for this moderate chipping.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Retrieval analysis of chipping ceramic delivers better understanding of the failure origin and could prevent future failures. Intraoral repair is a practical and conservative technique and may be performed in a single clinical session without requiring the removal of prosthesis.