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This study examined the impact of interfacial interactions on bilayer yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) used in dental restorations. In-house bilayer structures of 3YSZ and 5YSZ composition underwent hydrothermal degradation to compare the properties of control and low-temperature degradation (LTD) treated groups. Biaxial flexural strength via piston-on-three-balls, staircase fatigue strength over 106 cycles at 15 Hz, phase characterization and quantification through XRD and Rietveld refinement, and fractography were conducted. Weibull analysis was employed to determine the Weibull modulus and characteristic strength. Results demonstrated an enhancement in the mechanical performance of 3YSZ composition after LTD treatment, whereas the mechanical properties of 5YSZ remained largely unaffected post-degradation. Fractographic analysis revealed that failure originated at the surface tensile location across all specimen groups. These findings offer insights into the mechanical behavior of bilayer zirconia structures and reinforce the significance of hydrothermal treatment in enhancing their performance, particularly in the case of 3Y compositions.

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OBJECTIVES: This work aimed to evaluate the effect of artificial aging on the translucency and color difference (ΔE) of ultra-translucent zirconia and provide a reference for clinical application. METHODS: The discs of ultra-translucent zirconia from six brands (Wieland, 3M ESPE, Amann Girrbach, Kuraray Noritake, Upcera, and Besmile) were cut and sintered according to each manufacturer's product instructions; the experimental groups were named ZNT, LVP, AG, KAT, UPC, and BSM, respectively. IPS e.max Press was used as the control group (PLT). The specimens (n=6) were prepared with a diameter of 14 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. The specimens were subjected to artificial aging treatment according to the following conditions: in an autoclave at 134 ℃ at 0.2 MPa for 4, 8, and 12 h. According to the CIE1976Lab system, the CIE L*, a*, and b* values of the specimens before and after aging were measured by a co-lorimeter. The translucency parameter (TP) and ΔE were calculated. RESULTS: The mean TP values of each group before aging inorder were PLT>KAT>AG>ZNT>BSM>UPC>LVP. We found no significant difference in translucency in all experimental groups after aging for 4 and 8 h compared with those before aging. After 12 h of aging, the TP values of the KAT and ZNT groups were not significantly different from those before aging, but the TP values of the AG, BSM, LVP, and UPC groups were significantly lower than those before aging (P<0.05). The TP value of the control group was significantly higher than that of the other experimental groups at different stages (P<0.05). ΔE=3.3 was considered the visible color difference, and ΔE was less than 3.3 in all groups after 4 h of aging. After aging for 8 h, ΔE of the UPC group was slightly higher than 3.3. ΔE of the BSM and UPC groups was greater than 3.3 after 12 h of aging. CONCLUSIONS: The TP and ΔE of different brands of ultra-translucent zirconia may change after various aging times. The translucency of some zirconia showed a decreasing trend and the color difference showed an increasing trend with the aging time.

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OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the mechanical properties of zirconia restorations produced via additive manufacturing (AM) and the crown accuracy of zirconia crowns. METHODS: Zirconia disks, bars, and crowns were manufactured via subtractive (CNC group) and additive manufacturing (AM group) techniques. Disk-shaped specimens in each group were autoclaved at 134 °C and 216 kPa for 5, 10, and 24 h. The phases of the specimens were analyzed using an X-ray diffractometer. The flexural strengths were measured via biaxial flexural tests. The morphologies were examined using a scanning electron microscope. The correlation between the m-phase fraction and biaxial flexural strength by autoclave time in each group was analyzed via linear mixed model and Pearson's correlation analysis. For each group, crown specimens were used to assess the marginal and internal gaps using the replica technique. Buccolingual and mesiodistal cross-sections were measured, and a repeated measures one-way ANOVA was performed. RESULTS: Linear mixed model analysis indicated that for both groups, with an increase in the autoclave time, the flexural strength decreased, whereas the m-phase fraction increased. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed no correlation between the m-phase fraction and flexural strength for either group. A repeated measures one-way ANOVA was conducted on instrumented sections (buccal, lingual, mesial, and distal), revealing that the marginal and internal gaps of AM-produced zirconia crowns were less accurate than those of CNC-produced zirconia crowns. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that additively produced zirconia restorations have mechanical properties comparable to those of conventionally produced ceramics and may be suitable for clinical applications.

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OBJECTIVES: This work aimed to evaluate the effect of speed sintering and low-temperature degradation on the translucency of high-translucent zirconia. METHODS: The ST and TT specimens were randomly divided into two groups depending on the sintering process: conventional sintering and speed sintering. The sintered specimens were divided into three subgroups according to the aging time: aged for 0, 5, and 20 h. Chromatic parameters (L*, a*, and b* values) were measured by Shade Eye NCC computer colorimeter in a dark environment under black and white background, and the translucency parameter (TP) was used to evaluate the translucency of zirconia. RESULTS: Speed sintering may decrease the TP of ST and increase the TP of TT. As for the effect of low-temperature degradation on the translucency of zirconia, the TP of ST decreased with the extension of aging time, and no significant difference was found in rapid sintering ST. Although the TP of TT decreased, no statistical difference was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Speed sintering may decrease the translucency of high-strength zirconia and increase the translucency of high-translucent zirconia. Low-temperature degradation had no effect on the translucency of high-translucent zirconia. Speed sintering can be recommended for high-translucent zirconia in terms of translucency.

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OBJECTIVES: Fatigue and low-temperature degradation (LTD) are the main factors contributing to zirconia restoration failure. This study evaluated the effect of LTD on the fatigue performance of the novel "strength & shade-gradient" multilayered zirconia restorations. METHODS: Discs (15 mm × 1.2 mm) of each yttria content layer from a newly developed strength-gradient multilayered zirconia were fabricated and under accelerated aging in an autoclave at 134℃ for 0 h, 32 h, and 64 h. Then, the phase transformation, microstructure, and mechanical properties after LTD were assessed. In addition, the crown samples, including the multi-Zir, 3Y-Zir, and 5Y-Zir were fabricated, and their monotonic and fatigue load before and after LTD, percentage of fatigue degradation (Sd) and the fracture morphology were investigated. Statistical analyses were performed using paired samples t-test (α' = α/3 = 0.017), one-way ANOVA and Weibull analysis. RESULTS: After LTD, the phase transformation, surface roughness, depth of transformed zone, and residual stress were increased and inversely associated with the yttria content. The indentation elastic modulus and hardness after LTD decreased; however, there was no significant difference between the different yttria content layers. The monotonic and fatigue load of multi-Zir restorations decreased, but their Weibull modulus increased, and Sd decreased, similar to 3Y-Zir. The crack origin was associated with the cervical region. CONCLUSION: These results show that although LTD reduces the absolute fatigue strength of strength-gradient multilayered zirconia restorations, it also reduces the effect of cyclic fatigue itself on the strength of zirconia (relative to monotonic strength), which might be due to the increase of residual stress. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The novel "strength & shade-gradient" multilayered zirconia restorations show a promising performance during in vitro LTD and fatigue test and their reliability to some extent is comparable to 3Y-Zir. Yet, further in vivo longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm their precise performance.

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The aim is to investigate the impact of phase contents on mechanical properties, translucency, and aging stability of additively manufactured yttria partially stabilized zirconia ceramics. For that purpose, we evaluated two PSZ materials. The first type was prepared utilizing commercially available 5 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia(5Y-PSZ), while the second type, denoted as 3Y+8Y-PSZ ceramics, was fabricated by blending 3 mol% and 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia powders. Compared to 5Y-PSZ (39.90 wt% tetragonal phases and c/a2 = 1.0141), 3Y+8Y-PSZ is characterized by a greater abundance of tetragonal phases (47.68 wt%), which display higher tetragonality (c/a2 = 1.0165) and lower yttrium oxide content (2.25mol%). As a result, the 3Y+8Y-PSZ demonstrates elevated strength (816.52 MPa) and toughness (4.32 MPa m1/2), accompanied by reduced translucency(CR:0.47) and it exhibits greater susceptibility to aging. The phase contents, yttrium oxide content, and lattice parameters in the tetragonal phase play a crucial role in determining the mechanical properties, translucency, and aging stability of PSZ ceramics.

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The aim of this study was to investigate the low-temperature degradation (LTD) kinetics of tetragonal zirconia with 3 mol% yttria (3Y-TZP) dental ceramic using two degradation methods: hydrothermal degradation and immersed degradation. To study transformation kinetics, we prepared 3Y-TZP powders. We pressed these powders uniaxially into a stainless mold at 100 MPa. We then sintered the compacted bodies at intervals of 50 °C between 1300 °C and 1550 °C and immersed the specimens at various temperatures from 60 °C to 80 °C in 4% acetic acid or from 110 °C to 140 °C for the hydrothermal method. We used a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to confirm crystalline grain size and used X-ray diffraction to analyze the zirconia phase. As the sintering temperature increased, the calculated crystalline grain size also increased. We confirmed this change with the SEM image. The higher sintering temperatures were associated with more phase transformation. According to the Mehl-Avrami-Johnson equation, the activation energies achieved using the hydrothermal method were 101 kJ/mol, 95 kJ/mol, and 86 kJ/mol at sintering temperatures of 1450 °C, 1500 °C, and 1550 °C, respectively. In addition, the activation energies of the specimens immersed in 4% acetic acid were 60 kJ/mol, 55 kJ/mol, 48 kJ/mol, and 35 kJ/mol, with sintered temperatures of 1400 °C, 1450 °C, 1500 °C, and 1550 °C, respectively. The results showed that a lower sintering temperature would restrain the phase transformation of zirconia because of the smaller crystalline grain size. As a result, the rate of LTD decreased.

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The purpose of this study was to obtain dental ceramic materials with excellent mechanical properties and high resistance to low temperature degradation (LTD) via stereolithography (SLA) in combination with microwave sintering (MWS). The results have shown that the unaged MWS-1425 °C 3Y-TZP ceramics with uniform microstructure have high density up to 99.04% and excellent mechanical properties (Vickers hardness 14.07 GPa, fracture toughness 4.32 MPa m1/2, flexural strength 947.87 MPa). After 50 h of LTD, the m-phase content of MWS 3Y-TZP ceramics accounts for only 10.3%. In addition, the surface roughness increases by only 1.3 nm, the degraded depth is less than 5 µm, and the flexural strength exceeds 900 MPa. This exhibits the high resistance to LTD and excellent mechanical properties of dental 3Y-TZP ceramics can be obtained.

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This study aimed to assess the effect of low-temperature degradation (LTD) and surface treatment on the flexural strength of additive-manufactured (AM) zirconia by comparison to subtractive-manufactured (SM) zirconia. Disc-shaped zirconia specimens were fabricated using AM and SM technology, and each group was assigned to 3 subgroups according to the type of surface treatment: control, sandblasting (SB), and 9% hydrofluoric acid etching (HF). The groups were then further divided into 2 subgroups: unaged and aged. Biaxial flexural strength, crystal phase, surface topography, and surface roughness were measured to evaluate the mechanical properties. Statistical analyses were performed with 3-way ANOVA, followed by the comparison of means with Bonferroni post hoc analyses. The means and standard deviations of the biaxial flexural strength and Weibull parameters were calculated with descriptive statistics. All SM groups showed significantly greater flexural strength than the AM groups (p < .05), and LTD did not affect flexural strength except for the SMHF group (p < .05). After LTD, monoclinic phases (m-phase) were found in all groups, and SEM images showed grain pullout due to zirconia volume expansion in both control groups. Sandblasting significantly affected flexural strength (p < .05), whereas the HF group did not affect flexural strength except in the SMHF group after LTD (p < .05). No significant difference was observed in the surface roughness of AM compared to SM groups conditioned with the same surface treatment regardless of LTD. AM zirconia has comparable mechanical properties to SM zirconia, regardless of low-temperature degradation and surface treatment, which indicates the potential of the AM technique for clinical applications.

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While the in situ return of corn straw can improve soil fertility and farmland ecology, additional bacterial agents are required in low-temperature areas of northern China to accelerate straw degradation. Moisture is an important factor affecting microbial activity; however, owing to a lack of bacterial agents adapted to low-temperature complex soil environments, the effects of soil moisture on the interaction between exogenous bacterial agents and indigenous soil microorganisms remain unclear. To this end, we explored the effect of the compound bacterial agent CFF constructed using Pseudomonas putida and Acinetobacter lwoffii, developed to degrade corn straw in low-temperature soils (15 °C), on indigenous bacterial and fungal communities under dry (10% moisture content), slightly wet (20%), and wet (30%) soil-moisture conditions. The results showed that CFF application significantly affected the α-diversity of bacterial communities and changed both bacterial and fungal community structures, enhancing the correlation between microbial communities and soil-moisture content. CFF application also changed the network structure and the species of key microbial taxa, promoting more linkages among microbial genera. Notably, with an increase in soil moisture, CFF enhanced the rate of corn straw degradation by inducing positive interactions between bacterial and fungal genera and enriching straw degradation-related microbial taxa. Overall, our study demonstrates the alteration of indigenous microbial communities using bacterial agents (CFF) to overcome the limitations of indigenous microorganisms for in situ straw-return agriculture in low-temperature areas. KEY POINTS: • Low-temperature and variable moisture conditions (10-30%) were compared • Soil microbial network structure and linkages between genera were altered • CFF improves straw degradation via positive interactions between soil microbes.

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To eliminate efficiency restriction of polyethylene microplastics low-temperature biodegradation, a novel InaKN-mediated Escherichia coli surface display platform for cold-active degrading laccase PsLAC production was developed. Display efficiency of 88.0% for engineering bacteria BL21/pET-InaKN-PsLAC was verified via subcellular extraction and protease accessibility, exhibiting an activity load of 29.6 U/mg. Cell growth and membrane integrity revealed BL21/pET-InaKN-PsLAC maintained stable growth and intact membrane structure during the display process. The favorable applicability was confirmed, with 50.0% activity remaining in 4 days at 15 °C, and 39.0% activity recovery retention after 15 batches of activity substrate oxidation reactions. Moreover, BL21/pET-InaKN-PsLAC possessed high polyethylene low-temperature depolymerizing capacity. Bioremediation experiments proved that the degradation rate was 48.0% within 48 h at 15 °C, and reached 66.0% after 144 h. Collectively, cold-active PsLAC functional surface display technology and its significant contributions to polyethylene microplastics low-temperature degradation constitute an effective improvement strategy for biomanufacturing and microplastics cold remediation.

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Aim: The aim of the study is to systematically assess the impact of low-temperature degradation (LTD) simulation in an autoclave on mechanical and microstructural properties of infiltrated monolithic zirconia compared to the noninfiltrated zirconia. Settings and Design: Systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020 guidelines. Materials and Methods: An electronic search was done within these databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, Science Direct, Embase, Wiley, Google Scholar for articles published between 2000 and March 2021. Search results that met eligibility criteria were categorized into two groups based on properties assessed of infiltrated monolithic zirconia exposed to LTD (also called aging simulation) - (a) mechanical (flexural strength and fracture toughness) and (b) microstructural properties (phase transformation rate and m content). Statistical Analysis Used: Qualitative analysis. Results: The search identified 272 preliminary results. After discarding duplicates, and screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, 10 articles finally met inclusion criteria. Data were collected on author's details and their countries, journal and year of publication, type and percentage of infiltration, aging protocol (duration and temperature), mechanical, and microstructural properties. All the included studies invariably revealed better aging resistance without a change in mechanical properties for infiltrated monolithic zirconia as compared to noninfiltrated species. Conclusion: Infiltration within monolithic zirconia can reduce degradation and simultaneously maintain their mechanical properties by preventing water entry into grain contours. The final m content was less for infiltrated Zirconium, indicating a lesser phase transformation and better aging resistance. Other Information: Systematic review protocol registered at PROSPERO CRD42021248153.

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Translucent zirconia is becoming the material of choice for the esthetic restorative material. We aimed to evaluate the surface structure, phase determination, translucency, and flexural strength of 5Y-TZP Zirconia (Katana STML Block and Disc) between the regular sintering and the speed sintering with and without low-temperature degradation (LTD). A total of 60 zirconia discs (30 per group; regular sintering and speed sintering) were used in this study. A CAM machine was used to mill cylinders out of the zirconia blanks and then cut into smaller discs. For the speed sintering, the zirconia blocks were milled into smaller discs. The zirconia discs were subjected to regular and speed sintering with and without LTD. Scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the zirconia specimens and the zirconia grain size. Furthermore, the zirconia specimens were analyzed for elemental analysis using energy dispersive spectroscopy and phase identification using X-ray diffraction. The zirconia specimens were subjected to translucency measurements and biaxial flexural strength testing. The results of the zirconia specimens were compared among the groups. Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS version 20.0 to detect the statistically significant differences (p value = 0.05). A one-way ANOVA with multiple comparisons was performed using Scheffe analysis among the groups. The speed sintering presented smaller grain sizes. The zirconia specimens with and without LTD in regular and speed sintering presented a similar surface structure. Regular sintering showed more translucency compared to speed sintering. Multiple comparisons of the translucency parameter were a significant difference (p value < 0.05) between the various groups except for the comparison between speed sintering and speed sintering LTD. The regular sintering showed bigger gain sizes and slightly more translucency compared to speed sintering. The speed sintering showed higher biaxial flexural strengths compared to regular sintering. This shows that speed sintering can be considered a suitable method of sintering zirconia.

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This paper presents a study of Al2O3-ZrO2 (ZTA) nanocomposites with different contents of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The influence of the rGO content on the physico-mechanical properties of the oxide composite was revealed. Graphene oxide was obtained using a modified Hummers method. Well-dispersed ZTA-GO nanopowders were produced using the colloidal processing method. Using spark plasma sintering technology (SPS), theoretically dense composites were obtained, which also reduced GO during SPS. The microstructure, phase composition, and physico-mechanical properties of the sintered composites were studied. The sintered ZTA composite with an in situ reduced graphene content of 0.28 wt.% after the characterization showed improved mechanical properties: bending strength was 876 ± 43 MPa, fracture toughness-6.8 ± 0.3 MPa·m1/2 and hardness-17.6 ± 0.3 GPa. Microstructure studies showed a uniform zirconia distribution in the ZTA ceramics. The study of the electrical conductivity of reduced graphene oxide-containing composites showed electrical conductivity above the percolation threshold with a small content of graphene oxide (0.28 wt.%). This electrical conductivity makes it possible to produce sintered ceramics by electrical discharge machining (EDM), which significantly reduces the cost of manufacturing complex-shaped products. Besides improved mechanical properties and EDM machinability, 0.28 wt.% rGO composites demonstrated high resistance to hydrothermal degradation.

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OBJECTIVES: Investigate the effect of aging on the wear behavior of glazed vs polished monolithic zirconia and to establish if glazing provides protection against low temperature degradation. METHODS: 40 1-mm-diameter spheres made from four differently treated monolithic zirconia (VITA YZ® HT); polished, polished-aged, glazed and glazed-aged (n = 10), were tested in a wear testing machine (UFW200) against bovine enamel in artificial saliva as per the following settings (ISO20808:2016): ball-on-disc configuration, 5 N vertical load, 0.1 m/s sliding speed, 400 m sliding distance and 37 °C temperature. Vertical substance loss (mm) wear of zirconia and enamel specimens was measured. Data were statistically analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA test (α > 0.05). RESULTS: Glazed-aged zirconia specimens resulted in the greatest amount of enamel wear (0.823 mm ± 0.157) followed by glazed (0.729 mm ± 0.289), polished-aged (0.377 mm ± 0.201) then polished (0.247 mm ± 0.125). In the groups with the same surface finish, aging showed no statistical difference in wear (P > 0.008). Glazing resulted in a higher enamel wear compared with polishing that was statistically significant (P < 0.008) except when the polished specimens were aged and the glazed specimens were not aged. SIGNIFICANCE: Aging increases abrasiveness of monolithic zirconia regardless of the type of surface finish. The effect of aging is "latent" and only revealed under mechanical loading during wear simulation which increases surface roughness and wear by adversely affecting zirconia's mechanical properties, making it less capable to maintain its initial surface smoothness. The glaze layer may protect zirconia from LTD, however, it is susceptible to aging which further increases its abrasiveness.

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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to systematically review the literature related to the impact of low temperature degradation (LTD) on the crystalline structures and optical properties of different types of dental monolithic zirconia materials. METHODS: The systemic review was performed based on the PRISMA statement. In vitro studies investigating the effect of accelerated aging in autoclave (2 bar pressure 134°C - ISO standard 13356-2008) on the crystalline structure and/or optical properties of Yttria-partially stabilized zirconia (Y-PSZ) were included. Specific search terms were used for peer-reviewed articles published in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases. RESULTS: From 286 eligible articles, 51 articles were selected for full-text analysis, 10 failed to meet the inclusion criteria, and 41 articles were included in this review. Autoclave aging (30 min - 300 h) results in an increase in monoclinic phase (m) content up to 80% for tetragonal zirconia and reaching saturation after 35 h of autoclave aging. All included articles reported less than 1% of monoclinic phase for cubic zirconia after autoclave aging. Translucency parameter was reported between 2.34 and 19.7 after autoclave aging (4-100 h). For same aging time, contrast ratio ranged between 0.48 and 0.95. SIGNIFICANCE: An increase in monoclinic phase was reported for tetragonal zirconia, while cubic zirconia demonstrates resistance to LTD. The optical properties for all zirconia materials investigated seem more compromised with increasing aging time.

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Monolithic dental prostheses fabricated from 5 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (5YZ) have been developed to improve the translucency of conventional 3 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influence of airborne-particle abrasion (APA) and low-temperature degradation (LTD) on the mechanical properties of 5YZ in association with the crystalline phase transformation. In total, 120 disc-shaped specimens of two brands of 5YZ (Lava Esthetic and Katana UTML) were prepared. The specimens were divided into four groups (n = 15 for each group): (i) control, (ii) APA, (iii) LTD, and (iv) APA + LTD groups. APA was performed with 50 µm alumina particles, and LTD was induced by autoclaving at 134 °C for 50 h. The biaxial flexural strength of the specimens was assessed using a piston-on-three-ball test according to ISO 6872:2015, and Vickers hardness was determined using a microhardness tester. The crystalline phase was analyzed by the Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction patterns. APA significantly increased the flexural strength of the Lava Esthetic specimens, whereas LTD hardly affected the strength of both materials. APA and APA + LTD significantly increased the Vickers hardness of both materials. According to Rietveld analysis, the pseudocubic phase was predominant in both materials, i.e., 66 mass% and 81 mass% in the Lava Esthetic and Katana UTML specimens, respectively. APA induced the rhombohedral phase at approximately 37 mass% in both materials, while LTD induced the monoclinic phase at 2.8 mass% in the Lava Esthetic specimens and 0.9 mass% in the Katana UTML specimens. APA + LTD weakly affected the amount of the rhombohedral phase but slightly increased the amount of the monoclinic phase. These findings suggest that APA may improve the mechanical properties of 5YZ, particularly hardness, via the generation of the rhombohedral phase. In contrast, the influence of LTD on the mechanical and microstructural properties of 5YZ was limited.

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The presented work concerns the development and investigation of three different grades of ZrO2 materials containing Al2O3 particles (ATZ-Alumina Toughened Zirconia ceramics with 2.3-20 vol.% of alumina). The zirconia powders containing 3 mol.% of yttria were synthesized by a precipitation/calcination method and fabricated from two different zirconia powders with different yttria content. Then, the selected ATZ composites (ATZ-B, ATZ-10 and ATZ-20) were prepared by means of conventional mixing, compacting and sintering at 1450 °C for 1.5 h. The phase composition, microstructure, relative density and basic mechanical properties were determined. Uniform microstructures with relative densities over 99% of theoretical density, hardness values between 12.0-13.8 GPa, flexural strength up to 1 GPa and outstanding fracture toughness of 12.7 MPa⋅m1/2 were obtained. The aging susceptibility of alumina toughened zirconia materials, as a consequence of hydrothermal treatment, was investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of LTD (low temperature degradation) on the tetragonal to monoclinic phase transitions and on the flexural strength of hydrothermally aged specimens. The results were compared to those obtained for commercially available tetragonal zirconia-based materials containing 3 mol.% of yttria. This research shows that ATZ composites that have excellent mechanical properties and sufficient hydrothermal aging resistance can be attained and later used in technical and biomedical applications.

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OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effect of aging using two different methods on the three-dimensional fit of zirconia abutments at the implant-abutment connection and estimate the probability of survival of anterior crowns supported by straight and 17-degree angled abutments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two different zirconia abutment designs, straight and 17-degree angled abutments (n = 63/group), were evaluated in the current study. The abutments were randomly allocated into three experimental groups according to laboratory aging condition (134°C, 2.2 bar, 20 h): (i) control, (ii) autoclave aging, and (iii) hydrothermal reactor aging. Crystalline content was determined by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy, and microstructure was analyzed using field-emission gun scanning electron microscope (FEG-SEM). Implant-abutment volume misfit was determined in the straight abutments by micro-computed tomography using the silicone replica technique. For fatigue testing, abutments were torqued to the implants and connected to standardized maxillary incisor zirconia crowns. The assemblies were subjected to step-stress accelerated life testing (SSALT) in water until fracture or suspension. The use level probability Weibull curves and probability of survival for a mission of 50,000 cycles at 50, 100, 150 and 200 N were calculated and plotted. Fractured samples were analyzed using a stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: The crystalline spectra depicted a zirconia system primarily composed of the tetragonal phase. Laboratory aging yielded a 20%- and 37%-increase in the monoclinic content for abutments aged in autoclave and hydrothermal reactor relative to control, respectively. A fully crystalline matrix with a regular grain size was observed in the FEG-SEM for control abutments, with a considerable presence of intergranular defects. While autoclave aging triggered no significant alteration to the microstructure, defect population was reduced after hydrothermal reactor aging. Control abutments presented a significantly higher volume misfit (2.128 ± 0.54 mm3) relative to aged abutments using autoclave (1.244 ± 0.48 mm3) or hydrothermal reactor (1.441 ± 0.41 mm3). The beta (ß) values indicated that failures were predominantly controlled by material strength rather than fatigue damage accumulation for all groups, except for straight control abutments. Irrespective of aging, the probability of survival of straight and angled zirconia abutments was up to 95% (95-100%) at 50 and 100 N. A 50N-increase in the load resulted in wider range of survival estimate, with straight autoclave abutments percentage significantly lower probability of survival (77%) than angled hydrothermal reactor abutments (99%). At 200N, angled hydrothermal reactor (97%) or autoclave (82%) aged abutments demonstrated the highest probability of survival, angled control (71%) and straight hydrothermal reactor (69%) abutments intermediate values, and straight autoclave (23%) and control (7%) abutments the lowest estimate. The failure mode predominantly involved abutment and/or abutment screw fracture for both straight and angled abutments. CONCLUSIONS: Hydrothermal aging significantly influenced volume misfit, as well as the probability of survival of zirconia abutments at higher loads for both angled and straight abutments.

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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of time and hydration (ageing) on flexural strength of yttrium-stabilized zirconia polycrystals (Y-TZP) zirconia fabricated from three different materials. METHODS: This in-vitro study was performed from June to September 2019. Y-TZP bars, measuring 2 x 3 x 20 mm were prepared and sintered from three different materials, Group-1: LAVA™ Zirconia (3M ESPE, US) (control) Group-2: Vita In-Ceram YZ (VITA, Germany) and Group-3: Aadva™ Zirconia (Zr) (GC Advanced technologies Inc.). 30 zirconia bars per group were prepared using sectioning of blocks with isomet saw. Followed by sintering in furnaces for recommended temperature cycles. One side of bars were polished and beveled for flexural testing. Groups of specimens were divided into subgroups of 3 (n=10) based on the ageing (distilled water in the incubator at 37ºC) durations (48 Hrs and two and half years). Ten specimens in each material groups were not aged (controls). Samples were exposed to a static force in a three-point bend test using a universal instron-testing machine until fracture. Scanning electron microscopic assessment was performed for fractured specimens for ageing. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test. RESULTS: The mean flexural strength at baseline for Group-1: LAVA™ Zirconia, group (632.7 ± 136.5 MPa) 2: Vita In-Ceram YZ (1036.3 ± 229.6 MPa), and Group-3: Aadva™ Zirconia (1171.3 ± 266.3 MPa) were significantly different. Group-2 and Group-3 specimens showed higher strength compared to Group-1 specimens, irrespective of the ageing duration (p<0.05). Analysis of pooled data for flexural strength for materials by aging period (baseline, after 48 hours and after 2 and ½ years) showed that there was significant reduction of strength with increasing duration (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Y-TZP showed variations in flexural strength depending on the material type. Ageing duration exhibited significant influence on the flexural strength of Y-TZP when comparing no ageing to two and half years. Vita In-Ceram YZ and Aadva Zirconia (Zr) showed higher and clinically acceptable flexural strength outcomes.