MEDIUMClinicalTier 1

Influence of manufacturing protocol, polishing, and thermocycling on water contact angle and hardness of zirconia: Comparison of additive and subtractive techniques

SourceJournal of Prosthetic Dentistry (JPD)Tier 1Peer-Reviewed Research

Originally at sciencedirect.com

Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.

Why it matters for dental

Zirconia processing details—additive versus subtractive manufacturing, polishing steps, and thermal aging—directly affect surface wettability and hardness, two properties that influence cement retention and long-term fracture resistance of crowns and FDPs; labs and clinicians choosing materials or milling protocols need to understand these differences.

Key points

  • Additively manufactured zirconia showed different baseline hardness and contact-angle values compared with subtractive zirconia under identical finishing protocols.
  • Thermocycling (simulated intra-oral aging) altered both water contact angle and hardness, with measurable shifts after 10 000 cycles.
  • Polishing regimens significantly influenced surface wettability and may affect adhesive bond strength to resin cements.
  • Clinicians and labs specifying zirconia restorations should confirm the manufacturing route and finishing sequence to avoid unexpected debonding or early fracture.

Who should care

OwnerSpecialistAssociate

Read the original on Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry (JPD)

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