[Structure and properties of colored dental tetragonal zirconia stabilized by yttrium ceramics].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the structure, mechanical and low temperature aging properties of colored dental zirconia ceramics.


METHODS
5 graded colored dental zirconia ceramics were made by adding colorants and their combinations into a 3Y-TZP (tetragonal zirconia stabilized by 3mol% yttrium) powder, the green body were compacted at 200 MPa, pre-sinter at 1,050 degrees C and maintained for 2 h, then densely sintered at 1,500 degrees C for 2 h. Specimens were cut from each of the 5 graded colored blocks. Physical, mechanical properties as well as chemical stability were tested, microstructure were observed, crystalline phase were identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD), aging properties were assessed by measurement of the relative content of monoclinic phase and bending strength testing.


RESULTS
The overall density of colored zirconia ceramics was over 99.7%, linear shrinkage was about 20%, while thermal expansion coefficient was about 11 x 10(-6) x degrees C(-1), the crystalline phase was tetragonal, bending strength was over 900 MPa which was slightly lowered than that of the uncolored zirconia, fracture toughness was slightly higher. Good chemical stability in acetic acid was observed. After aging treatment, tetragonal-to-monoclinic phase transformation was detected up to 40%, while bending strength was not significantly degraded.


CONCLUSIONS
The results showed that colored 3Y-TZP ceramics presented good mechanical properties even after aging treatments, and was suitable for dental clinical use.
Yi
Yuan-fu
YF
Dept. of Stomatology, The General Hospital of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces, Beijing 100039, China.
Wang
Chen
C
Wen
Ning
N
Lin
Yong-zhao
YZ
Tian
Jie-mo
JM
D002516:Ceramics; D008422:Materials Testing; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D015019:Yttrium; D015040:Zirconium
D015019:Yttrium; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide