Vol. 11, Issue 4, Part C (2025)

Background: The success of interim prosthodontic restorations depends significantly on the mechanical behavior of provisional crown and bridge materials. This study aimed to compare the flexural strength and microhardness of three different types of provisional materials: conventionally polymerised, CAD-CAM milled and 3 D printed. Materials and Methods: Fifteen specimens were prepared for each group - conventionally polymerised (Group A), CAD-CAM milled (Group B), and 3D printed (Group C) respectively [n=45 total]. Flexural strength was tested using a universal testing machine, and microhardness was measured using a Knoop hardness tester. Results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc tests. Results: Group B (CAD-CAM milled) exhibited the highest microhardness (mean = 31.45 ± 2.60 KHN), followed by Group A (23.79 ± 2.50 KHN) and Group C (23.71 ± 1.57 KHN), with significant differences (P = 0.001). In terms of flexural strength, Group A showed the highest values (mean = 273.00 ± 50.35 MPa), followed by Group B (198.67±8.47 MPa) and Group C (109.29 ± 5.54 MPa), also with significant differences (P = 0.001). Conclusion: CAD-CAM milled materials showed superior microhardness, while conventionally polymerised materials demonstrated the highest flexural strength. 3D printed materials exhibited the lowest mechanical performance.