Influence of sintering conditions on low-temperature degradation of dental zirconia

The effect of sintering conditions and concomitant microstructure of dental zirconia (ZrO2) ceramics on their low-temperature degradation (LTD) behavior remains unclear.ObjectivesTherefore, their effect on LTD of dental ZrO2 ceramics was investigated.MethodsThree commercial pre-sintered yttria-stabilized dental zirconia materials were sintered at three temperatures (1450 °C, 1550 °C and 1650 °C) applying three dwell times (1, 2 and 4 h). Grain size measurements and LTD tests were performed on polished sample surfaces. LTD tests were performed at 134 °C in an autoclave. The amount of monoclinic ZrO2 on the exposed surface was measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD).ResultsHigher sintering temperatures and elongated dwell times increased the ZrO2 grain size. Simultaneously, a larger fraction of zirconia grains adopted a cubic crystal structure, resulting in a decreased yttria content in the remaining tetragonal grains. Both the larger grain sizes and the lower average stabilizer content made the tetragonal grains more susceptible to LTD. Overall, independent on the commercial dental zirconia grade tested, the specimens sintered at 1450 °C for 1 h combined good mechanical properties with the best resistance to LTD.SignificanceIn general, increased sintering temperatures and times result in a higher sensitivity to low-temperature degradation of Y-TZP ceramics.