Milling properties of low temperature sintered zirconia blocks for dental use

- The phase transformation of t-ZrO2 to m-ZrO2 affects the milling properties.
- The phase content of t-ZrO2 was 100% when sintering at 1350 °C for 2 h.
- The Y3 + content in the grain boundaries that hinders grain growth.
- The Y3 + content in boundaries also promotes the abnormal grain growth of 3Y-TZP.

To investigate the milling properties of different yttria-tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Y-TZP) block materials by applying a dental computer numerical control (CNC) milling center. Low temperature sintering zirconia block denoted by KMUZ (experimental) with two commercial zirconia blocks for T block made in Taiwan and a G block made in Germany were compared for the milling properties. Seventy-two specimens were milled using the same CNC milling center, and properties were evaluated by measuring the weight loss (g), milling time (s), margin integrity (%) and broken diameter (μm). The crystalline phases contents were identified by X-ray diffraction and the microstructures of the sintering specimens were observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The mean milling time of G and KMUZ were significantly shorter than T (P < 0.05). The KMUZ samples exhibited the least weight loss among the three kinds of blocks (P < 0.05). The percentages of marginal integrity after milling were high in G and KMUZ but low in T (P < 0.05). The mean broken diameters were from 90 μm to 120 μm. The phase transformation of t-ZrO2 (KMUZ: 7.4%, G: 5.9%, T: 3.2%) to m-ZrO2 when facing the milling pressure in ZrO2 blocks was observed by XRD. The result of TEM microstructure of KMUZ revealed that Y and Si were soluble in grain boundaries. The results show that the milling properties of KMUZ were better than one commercial T and near the G. The hindered grain growth, as a result of the Y3 + content in the grain boundaries, also plays a role in promoting the abnormal grain growth of 3Y-TZP.