Evaluation of hardness and fracture toughness, coupled with microstructural analysis, of zirconia ceramics stored in environments with different pH values

Dent Mater J. 2012;31(6):891-902. doi: 10.4012/dmj.2012-005.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pH changes in the oral cavity on the mechanical properties of zirconia and feldspathic ceramics. Bilayered zirconia-feldspathic samples were prepared from three different commercial brands of Y-TZP blocks: Zirkonzahn, Cercon, and Everest. Samples were stored in artificial saliva with different pH values (3.5, 7.0, and 10.0) for 10 days at 37°C. Flexural strength, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness were calculated after samples were subjected to biaxial flexure test. Microstructural analysis of the materials was also performed.Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple comparisons were performed using Tukey's test (α=0.05). Acidic and alkaline environments adversely affected the mechanical properties of zirconia, resulting in material degradation, loss of stabilizer content, and increase in tetragonal-monoclinic phase transformation. Commercial dental zirconia blocks have varied mechanical properties, but they are generally susceptible to degradation when exposed to corrosive environments.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Cold Temperature
  • Corrosion
  • Dental Stress Analysis
  • Hardness
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Materials Testing
  • Pliability
  • Polymerization
  • Saliva, Artificial / chemistry
  • X-Ray Diffraction
  • Yttrium / chemistry*
  • Zirconium / chemistry*

Substances

  • Saliva, Artificial
  • yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia
  • Yttrium
  • Zirconium