Impact of the Luting Technique on the Positioning of CAD-CAM Porcelain Laminate Veneers: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

The precision of the luting protocol plays a crucial role in the success and survival rate of porcelain laminate veneers (PLVs). This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the influence of different luting techniques on the positioning of PLVs through a novel, noninvasive, scanning-based technique. A total of 45 ceramic PLVs were milled and cemented on human tooth replicas. Specimens were divided into three groups of 15, each subjected to a different luting protocol: flowable composite (Group A), dual-cure resin cement (Group B), and preheated composite resin (Group C). After luting procedures, specimens were scanned, and every STL file was superimposed with the original tooth design in Geomagic Control X version 2022.1 software to assess linear (incisal, mid, cervical) and angular discrepancies. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s HSD tests, and regression analysis. ANOVA results showed no statistically significant differences for incisal (F = 0.327, p = 0.723), mid (F = 0.287, p = 0.752), cervical (F = 0.191, p = 0.827), and angular (F = 0.026, p = 0.975) measurements. Tukey’s HSD post hoc tests confirmed the lack of significant pairwise differences between groups. The study demonstrated that the type of luting agent used does not significantly impact the final position of PLVs. This suggests flexibility in the choice of luting agents without compromising the accuracy of PLV placement.