Laser scanning is one of the methods that can be used for surface treatments of zirconia. Application of the laser to the surface of zirconia has diverse effects, depending on the type of laser. A carbon dioxide (CO2) laser has high irradiation power and can alter the surface properties. This study investigated the surface coating of zirconia as a core material that subsequently coated with a veneering ceramic (v-c) material. This study compared laser scanning and conventional sintering processes. Various properties including surface topography, interface evaluation, phase transformation, elemental compositions, failure mode patterns, and contact angle were examined through X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. Results were confirmed that the bond strength between the v-c and the substrate recorded through laser scanning was higher than that determined through conventional sintering.
Keywords: Contact angle; Laser scanning; Shear test; Sintering process; Surface treatment.