Selection of dental prosthetic restoration material using fuzzy MCDM techniques

Dental crowns are artificial prosthetic restorations designed to treat teeth and mimic their natural appearance. This study aims to help dentists select the most suitable dental prosthetic material from an expert-oriented perspective, taking into account all physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the materials, as well as their clinical performance. To address this problem, the Fermatean Fuzzy CRITIC (Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation) and Fermatean Fuzzy WASPAS (Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment) methods, which are two extensions of Fermatean Fuzzy Sets integrated with multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, were used. Six alternatives were selected and eleven sub-criteria were listed under three main criteria for their evaluation. As a result of the study, the best alternative was found to be Lava Ultimate CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing) and the most important criterion was determined to be clinical longevity. The significance of this study lies in selecting the most appropriate alternative by evaluating dentist expertise, patient expectations and scientific evidence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use fuzzy MCDM methods in the field of prosthetic restoration material selection in dentistry.