The production and characterization of dental colored zirconia blocks

THE PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DENTAL COLORED ZIRCONIA BLOCKS Büşra GÜNHAN Ceramics Engineering, M.S. Thesis, 2014 Thesis Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Güray KAYA SUMMARY Zirconia (3Y-TZP) frameworks that distinguished and came to the forefront due to the decreased interest on metal-based prostheses materials recently, have a very common usage with superior mechanical properties and excellent biological compatibility, as well as being white and having satisfactory light transmissions nowadays. Zirconia frameworks that are obtained as a result of being proceed from zirconia blocks into the form of teeth , are colored with various coloring solutions to be compatible with patient's teeth colors as well as aiming to meet patient's high aesthetic requirements. This coloring process, causes loss of time, extra costs and shortens prosthese's life by affecting material's mechanical properties negatively. During this study, the production and characterization of self-colored zirconia frameworks that aimed to eliminate the negativity mentioned above in the paragraph and simplify reaching to the desired aesthetic results without compromising on expected performance of material, have been performed in accordance with ISO 6872, Dental Ceramics Standards. Keywords: colored zirconia block, 3Y-TZP, zirconia framework, characterization,