Title

Effect of span length and connector size on fracture resistance of monolithic zirconia FPDs: A finite element analysis

Authors

Mahitosh Lakhe, Akshay Bhargava*, Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Bharti Dua, Cherry Anmol & Manisha Yersong

Affiliation

Department of Prosthodontics and Crown & Bridge, Santosh Dental College and Hospital, Santosh Deemed To Be University, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India; *Corresponding author

Email

Mahitosh Lakhe - E-mail: mahitoshlakhe845@gmail.com
Akshay Bhargava - E-mail: akshay.bhargava@santosh.ac.in
Rajiv Kumar Gupta - E-mail: dent.rajiv2@gmail.com
Bharti Dua - E-mail: drbhartidua@gmail.com
Cherry Anmol - E-mail: drcherryanmol@gmail.com
Manisha Yersong - E-mail: doctoryersong@gmail.com

Article Type

Research Article

Date

Received August 1, 2025; Revised August 31, 2025; Accepted August 31, 2025, Published August 31, 2025

Abstract

The effect of span length and connector size on the fracture resistance of monolithic zirconia fixed partial dentures (FPDs). Twelve mandibular FPD models with 3-, 4-, and 5-unit spans (9 mm, 16 mm, and 23 mm) were digitally created, each incorporating connector sizes of 12 mm˛, 15 mm˛, 18 mm˛ and 21 mm˛. Finite element analysis using ANSYS 2024 simulated physiological (324 N) and maximal (1270 N) occlusal forces. Longer spans with smaller connectors generated stresses exceeding zirconia’s tensile strength, while larger connectors reduced stress values significantly. Data shows that optimizing connector size is essential to improve biomechanical performance and longevity of zirconia FPDs, especially in long-span restorations.

Keywords

Monolithic zirconia, fixed partial denture (FPD), edentulous span length, connector size, finite element analysis (FEA), fracture resistance, stress distribution

Citation

Lakhe et al. Bioinformation 21(8): 2523-2526 (2025)

Edited by

Akshaya Ojha

ISSN

0973-2063

Publisher

Biomedical Informatics

License

This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. This is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.