Saudi Dent J. 2026 Mar 30;38(4):42. doi: 10.1007/s44445-026-00156-w.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Light-cured resin cements are widely used for veneer cementation due to their color stability and extended working time. However, polymerization through ceramic materials may be influenced by ceramic composition, thickness, and bonding substrate, potentially affecting bond strength. A quantitative comparison between lithium disilicate and translucent zirconia veneers under light-cured protocols remains limited.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the bond strength of lithium disilicate and translucent zirconia veneers luted with light-cured resin cements and to evaluate the influence of substrate type and veneer thickness.
METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Six in vitro studies (64 specimens) met inclusion criteria. Random-effects models using restricted maximum likelihood estimation with Hartung-Knapp adjustment were applied. Subgroup analyses were performed according to ceramic material and substrate. An exploratory meta-regression assessed the association between veneer thickness and bond strength.
RESULTS: The pooled mean bond strength across all studies was 15.9 MPa. Lithium disilicate veneers demonstrated higher pooled bond strength (25.4 MPa) than translucent zirconia (12.1 MPa). Enamel substrates showed higher bond strength (21.1 MPa) compared with composite cores (11.3 MPa). Considerable heterogeneity was observed (I2 = 98.2%). Meta-regression suggested an inverse trend between veneer thickness and bond strength; however, this finding was based on a limited dataset and should be interpreted cautiously.
CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of in vitro evidence, lithium disilicate and enamel bonding were associated with higher bond strength under light-cured cementation. Due to substantial heterogeneity and limited study numbers, these findings should be considered exploratory and not directly extrapolated to clinical performance.
PMID:41913027 | DOI:10.1007/s44445-026-00156-w
