Translucent monolithic dental zirconia available on the market may behave differently under simulated oral aging. The relationship between composition and microstructure determines their properties presumably, and clinical performance.

SUMMARY Objectives: This study assessed the fully stabilized zirconia (FSZ) Prettau Anterior, the partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) Prettau, and the lithium disilicate IPS e.max CAD (LD) through microstructural and mechanical characterization and effect of thickness on fracture load of the ceramics. Methods and Materials: Disk-shaped specimens (12 mm diameter and 1.2 mm thickness) were prepared for biaxial flexural strength (BFS) and Weibull statistics (n=30). For the fracture load static test (FLST) and Weibull statistics (n=30), disk-shaped specimens 12 mm in diameter and thicknesses of 0.5 mm, 1 mm, and 1.5 mm were cemented on an epoxy-resin substrate. Results: BFS (MPa) results were PSZ: 683.0 ± 70.23; FSZ: 438.6 ± 64.1; and LD: 248.6 ± 37.3. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for BFS was significant (p<0.001), and the Tukey post hoc test showed differences among all ceramics. There was difference in characteristic strength, but there was no difference in Weibull modulus. Two-way ANOVA for FLST was significant for ceramic (p<0001), thickness (p<0001), and interaction (p<0001). There was no difference among all ceramics at the 0.5 mm thickness. PSZ had higher values for the 1.0 mm and 1.5 mm thicknesses. LD of 1.5 mm thickness exhibited a higher FLST than FSZ. Conclusions: PSZ had the highest BFS, but when cemented on a substrate, all ceramics with 0.5 mm thickness behaved similarly. Despite the lower BFS, LD had a fracture load similar or superior to FSZ when cemented on a substrate.

The aim of this study was to characterize a conventional and a pressed porcelain for zirconia core as to biaxial flexural strength (BFS), apparent fracture toughness (FT) and microstructure composition, and to investigate the effect of glaze cooling rate on the BFS of the zirconia/porcelain bilayers. Monolayers of conventional porcelain Vita VM9 and pressed porcelain Vita PM9 (n=15) (12 mm diameter x 1.2 mm thick) were prepared for the BFS test (MPa). Apparent fracture toughness (MPa.m1/2) was measured by indentation technique (n=15). t-Student test was performed for statistical analysis. Scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction were used to analyze the porcelain's microstructure. For the BFS of bilayers, zirconia discs (12 mm diameter x 1 mm thick) (Vita In-Ceram YZ) were veneered with the two porcelains (1 mm thick). After the glaze firing simulation, the specimens were submitted to fast or slow cooling (n=15). Apparent fracture toughness (MPa.m1/2) was measured on the porcelain surface of bilayers (n=15) and residual stress was calculated. Two-way ANOVA (porcelain and cooling method) was used for the bilayer analysis (a=0.05). Vita PM9 monolayer exhibited significantly higher BFS (p<0.01), but there was no significant difference (p=0.41) in the FT between the porcelains. For bilayer specimens, the two-way ANOVA for BFS was significant for the porcelain variable only (p<0.01) better for Vita PM9/zirconia. Two-way ANOVA for the FT for the bilayers was not significant for any variable. All groups showed compressive residual stresses. The pressed porcelain seems to be mechanically more effective for zirconia veneering.

Aim: To study influence of the cooling rate after sintering a veneering porcelain (Vita VM9) on fracture toughness by indentation strength (IS) and single-edge-v-notched beam (SEVNB) methods. Methods: Vita VM9 bars were sintered according to the manufacturer’s recommendation and cooled under three conditions: Slow (inside the furnace from sintering temperature to room temperature); Normal (inside the furnace from sintering temperature to 500 ºC and outside the furnace from 500 ºC to room temperature); and Fast (outside the furnace from sintering temperature to room temperature). Fracture toughness was measured by IS (n=10) and SEVNB (n=10) methods. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (α=0.05). Results: The fracture toughness obtained from SEVNB (slow - 1.02±0.10; normal - 1.09±0.13; and fast - 1,02±0.18 MPa.m1/2 cooling techniques) was significantly lower than IS (slow - 1.19±0.13; normal - 1.17±0.07; and fast - 1.16±0.06 MPa. m1/2 cooling techniques). There was no significant influence of the cooling technique (p=0.012). Conclusions: The measurement technique influenced the fracture toughness values . IS method overestimated the fracture toughness values. Irrespective of the measuring method, cooling rate did not influence the Vita VM9 veneering porcelain fracture toughness.

Slow cooling seems to affect the veneer resistance and adhesion to the zirconia core; however, the reliability of fast cooling was slightly lower than that of the other methods.