Objectives To assess the effect of material, thickness and glazing upon the color, translucency, and roughness of monolithic zirconia. Materials and methods Sixty discs (0.8, 1.5, and 2 mm thickness) were fabricated from A1 translucent zirconia (IPS e.max ZirCAD/MT, Katana/HT, Vita YZ/HT, Cercon/HT) and glazed. Roughness (Ra) was assessed with a profilometer and color coordinates were measured with a spectrophotometer on a black, white, and tooth‐shaded background before and after glazing. Relative translucency parameter (RTP), color differences (CIEDE2000) and differences in translucencies between materials, before and after glazing were calculated. RTP, Ra, color differences were statistically analyzed using ANOVA. Any significant interaction between factors was further analyzed using Tukey's HSD. Results RTP values were significantly different between materials (P < .001) and thicknesses (P < .001), with the interaction effect between material type and thickness, also significant (P < .001). However, glazing did not have a significant effect on RTP values (P = .782). Color differences resulted after glazing were significantly different between materials (P < .001), and thicknesses (P < .001) with the interaction effect also significant (P < .001). Glazing influenced roughness, Ra decreasing for all materials (P < .001). Conclusions As a result of glazing, only color changes were statistically significant. Translucency varied among brands of precolored monolithic zirconia; the differences increased for greater thicknesses. Clinical significance Glazing is an important step in the technological process of ceramic restorations; however, it can influence the final optical appearance of the restoration as color changes could be expected after the application of the glaze.

Translucent monolithic zirconia is the newest option of zirconia-based ceramics, which aimed to substitute the opaque classic yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZPs) in more demanding esthetic cases. The aim of this review was to assess the available literature regarding the optical, chemical and mechanical properties of translucent zirconia ceramics. This systematic review was developed according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis) guidelines. An electronic literature search was undertaken through Medline (National Library of Medicine) via PubMed to identify relevant articles, published in the interval 2010-2018. The search was limited to the English language publications, in vitro studies of color and microstructure of translucent zirconia material. Yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (Y-TZPs) has excellent mechanical properties, but its intense white color and high opacity represent an esthetic limit. Cubic zirconia represents a new generation of dental ceramics with molecular structure and physical properties different from the conventional zirconia. Dental manufacturers created new formulations of this restorative material, introducing new cubic varieties of zirconia with improved optical properties. Translucent monolithic zirconia provides a new restorative option that combines strength with improved esthetics, due to its increased translucency. Translucent zirconia is indicated for anterior and posterior restorations but should be used carefully for discolored teeth, because the background color can affect the final esthetic appearance of the restoration.

Purpose: 1. to assess the ability of four brands of translucent monolithic zirconia with different thicknesses to mask discolored substrates; 2. to assess the influence of glazing upon their color coordinates and masking properties. Methods: Sixty samples of shade A1 (0.8, 1.5, and 2.0 mm thickness) from: ZirCAD/MT, Katana/HT, Vita YZ/HT, Cercon/HT were fabricated and glazed using a standardized laboratory procedure. CIE L*a*b* parameters were recorded on composite substrates, (IPS Natural Die Material Kit) (ND1=reference; ND2, ND3, ND4, ND5=test backgrounds), before and after glazing. The color changes of zirconia samples induced by glazing were analyzed. Masking properties was calculated as the color difference between CIE L*a*b* parameters of the samples placed on reference and test substrates with CIEDE2000(1:1:1) formula. The effect of material, thickness, substrate, and glazing on the color of monolithic zirconia was analyzed with ANOVA test and the multiple comparisons were analyzed with Tukey HSD tests (α=0.05). Results: After glazing, lightness L* significantly increased, while chromatic coordinates a* and b* decreased (p<0.05). Significant differences in the masking properties of the four materials (p<0.001) were found, with IPS e.max ZirCAD/MT having the lowest masking effect (p<0.001). Thickness, substrate and glazing had a significant effect on the color masking properties of monolithic zirconia (p<0.001). Conclusions: Masking properties of translucent zirconia were significantly influenced by the materials, the thickness and the color of the substrate; moreover, glazing improved the masking ability for all zirconia samples.

Background and aims.The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the CADIAX Compact 2 axiograph in confirming the presumptive clinical diagnosis of temporomandibular dysfunction, established according to the muscular-articular clinical examination. Methods. A retrospective analytical study was carried out on 50 patients, aged between 21 and 62 years, 31 women and 19 men. A clinical diagnosis was established after masticatory muscles, temporomandibular joints and mandibular border limit movements were assessed. During the same day a computerized axiography (Cadiax Compact 2, Gamma, Vienna, Austria) was performed in order to confirm the diagnosis. Results. The study had a sensitivity of 100%, which means that the CADIAX device detected all clinically positive patients. On the other hand, the specificity of the study was 74%, representing the percentage of patients negatively diagnosed by CADIAX device out of the total number of patients clinically diagnosed as negative. The 88% accuracy shows the proportion in which the CADIAX device provides a diagnosis equal to the clinical one. Conclusions. Of all the methods for investigating temporomandibular joint dysfunction, axiography is less invasive, does not irradiate the patient, it is relatively easy to use and it offers functional information about the TMJ function.

There is scarce information on the colorimetric behavior of monolithic and layered zirconia crowns in combination with various abutment colors. This study evaluated the masking ability on discolored substrates of monolithic and layered zirconia crowns. Anterior crowns were fabricated using 3Y-TZP zirconia and layering ceramic and divided into three groups: monolithic (ML), bi-layer (BL), and tri-layer (TL). The crowns were placed over eleven substrates (ND1-ND9, zirconia, metal), and CIE L*, a*, b*, C*, and h° color coordinates were measured in the cervical, middle, and incisal areas with a spectrophotometer. Masking ability was calculated using the color difference formula, and values were interpreted according to the perceptibility and acceptability thresholds. Data were analyzed statistically (α = 0.001). The L* coordinate was not significantly different between BL and TL crowns, regardless of the measurement area or substrate (p ≥ 0.001). In the middle area, the L* coordinate of the ML group was statistically different from the BL and TL groups only for zirconia and metal substrates, while in the incisal area, only for ND7 and metal substrates. The a* coordinate was significantly different between the ML and layered crowns for all measurement areas and substrates (except zirconia). The b* and C* coordinates differed significantly between the groups only in the cervical area (p < 0.001). The ML crown had better masking ability than the BL and TL crowns. However, the color differences for ML crowns were below the acceptability threshold for ND2, ND3, and ND7 substrates in the cervical and middle areas and below perceptibility threshold only for the incisal area. The lowest masking ability of the crowns was found for ND9 and metal substrates in all measurement areas.

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Objectives The study aimed to compare the color of monolithic and layered zirconia crowns fabricated using different brands in the cervical, middle, and incisal areas. Materials and Methods A total of 45 crowns were fabricated from three brands (Katana, Nacera, Cercon) using three methods (monolithic = ML (n=5), cut‐back + enamel = BL (n=5), cut‐back + dentin + enamel = TL (n=5)). CIE L*, a* b*, C*, h° color coordinates were recorded with a dental spectrophotometer in cervical, middle, and incisal areas. Color differences between manufacturing techniques, tooth areas, and brands were calculated using the CIEDE2000(1:1:1) formula, and the values were compared to the perceptibility (PT00) and acceptability thresholds (AT00). Comparisons between color coordinates were analyzed statistically (Kruskal‐Wallis and Mann‐Whitney U tests, p < 0.001). Results Significant differences were found between CIE L*, a*, b*, C*, h° coordinates of the zirconia crowns (p < 0.001), generally. The lowest color differences were obtained between BL and TL crowns in cervical and middle areas. Color differences between cervical and middle areas were mostly below PT00. An acceptable color difference was found between Katana and Cercon crowns. Conclusions The manufacturing technique and the brand influenced the color of zirconia crowns. Also, the color of the crowns varied from cervical to incisal. Clinical Significance Reproducing the optical properties of teeth with ceramic crowns might be challenging, given the differences in the internal configuration of the enamel and dentine, as well as their complex behavior when interacting with light. When deciding whether to fabricate a monolithic crown in translucent zirconia or improve its appearance by layering with more translucent glass–ceramic, the clinicians and dental technicians must be aware of these procedures' effect on the final color of the restorations.

Background and aims. Identifying the optimal method for occlusion analysis by comparing examination sensitivity of the static and dynamic occlusion using three systems: clinical occlusion analysis, semi-adjustable articulator and virtual articulator (3Shape, Denmark) occlusion analysis. Methods. The occlusion analysis of sixteen patients was performed using the three systems. In order to analyze the number of concordant and discordant points and trajectories, the clinical method was compared to the semi-adjustable articulator and to the computerized method. Results. The greatest correspondence was obtained by comparing the clinical and the articulator methods, having a success rate of 85.25%, versus the clinical and the computerized method with a success rate of 73.25%. The propulsion registered the highest discrepancies: 35% in case of the semi-adjustable articulator comparison and 62% in case of the virtual articulator comparison.  Conclusions. The semi-adjustable articulator was superior in static and dynamic occlusion analysis compared to the virtual articulator. The analysis of the dynamic occlusion is the most problematic due to its dependency on the individual anatomy of the glenoid fossa which cannot be exactly reproduced by any articulator.