What this means
Researchers compared two tooth-cap materials in a small, short trial. Both materials held up well, but the small size limits what this tells us.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the abstract. The original is below.
- Who it was tested in
- 18 adults (average age 38.5), 24 crowns
- Kind of research
- A study
The science
- Original title
- Clinical performance of ultratranslucent monolithic zirconia posterior crowns compared with lithium disilicate crowns: A pilot, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial.
- Authors
- Miranda LM, de Carvalho IHG, de Araújo LNM et al.
- Journal
- Journal of prosthodontics : official journal of the American College of Prosthodontists
- Published
- Oct 15, 2026
- Study type
- Study
- PMID
- 42878052 ↗
Abstract
Background
To evaluate, through a pilot, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial, the clinical performance of ultratranslucent monolithic zirconia (UTZr) compared to lithium disilicate (LD) posterior crowns after 24 months of follow-up.
What they did
Twenty-four crowns were fabricated and placed in 18 patients, assigned to 2 groups: Control (LD-IPS e.max CAD/Ivoclar) and Experimental (UTZr-Zircon FitPlus/Talmax). Longevity was assessed using the modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS) Ryge criteria, visual analog scales (VAS) for patients' self-perceived esthetics, and the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (OIDP) index for quality-of-life evaluation. Evaluations were conducted at baseline (T0) and 1 (T1), 6 (T2), 12 (T3), and 24 (T4) months after cementation. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test (α = .05). OIDP and USPHS data were analyzed descriptively, while VAS esthetic satisfaction was analyzed using Mann-Whitney, Friedman, and Wilcoxon post-hoc tests.
What they found
The mean age of participants was 38.5 years. Eleven crowns were fabricated with LD and 13 with UTZr. After 24 months, the cumulative survival rate was 100% for both groups. Both groups showed a significant improvement in esthetic satisfaction over time (P<.05). No ceramic fractures, occlusal changes, marginal integrity alterations, or secondary caries were observed; however, one UTZr crown presented minor marginal discoloration. Both materials, ultratranslucent monolithic zirconia and lithium disilicate, demonstrated high survival rates and satisfactory clinical performance after 24 months.
The authors' abstract, grouped under plain headings from its own section labels.
Miranda LM, de Carvalho IHG, de Araújo LNM et al. Clinical performance of ultratranslucent monolithic zirconia posterior crowns compared with lithium disilicate crowns: A pilot, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial. Journal of prosthodontics : official journal of the American College of Prosthodontists. 2026. doi:10.1111/jopr.70250. PMID: 42878052. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42878052/