While dentin-bonded crowns may hold esthetic advantages over metal-ceramic restorations, and minimal tooth preparation may also be appropriate, resistance to fracture of the restored unit is an important consideration. Dentin-bonded crowns were placed on standardized preparations in two groups of 10 maxillary premolar teeth in vitro. The preparations differed only in degree of taper. The restored specimens were subjected to compressive loading at 1 mm/min from a steel bar placed along the midline fissure. Mean fracture loads of 0.77 kN (6-degree taper) and 0.71 kN (8-degree taper) were recorded for the groups of prepared teeth, and a mean fracture load of 0.97 kN was obtained for a group of unprepared controls. Statistical analysis indicated that there was no significant difference between the fracture load of the 6-degree taper group and that of the sound control teeth.