By digitizing a restored first maxillary premolar with a micro-CT scanner and using a medical image processing software (Mimics™), a 3D model was created. The surface of the restored tooth components was extracted by a surface meshing software (3-matic). To create different preparation designs, SolidWorks™ was employed, in which by considering three convergence angles (6°, 8° and 12°) and two preparation heights (3.1 mm and 4.1 mm), six models were created. To generate a desirable mesh network, a mesh generator software (FE-mesh) was utilized. Lithium disilicate (LD) and polymer-infiltrated ceramic (PIC) were used as ceramic crown materials. A 5.0 mm stainless steel hemispherical indenter was employed to apply load on the occlusal surface. To analyze the twelve models, Abaqus™ was used.

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