Nano grain sized zirconia–silica glass ceramics for dental applications

Glass ceramics based on lithium disilicates are commonly used in dental veneers and crowns. Alternative materials with improved mechanical properties may be of interest for more demanding applications, e.g. bridgeworks. In this study, a sol–gel method was optimized to produce nano grain-sized zirconia–silica glass ceramics with properties adequate for dental applications. The material properties were compared to those of IPS e.max® CAD, a commercially available lithium disilicate. The zirconia–silica glass ceramic was found to be translucent, with a transmittance of over 70%, and possessed excellent corrosion resistance. It also presented a somewhat lower elastic modulus but higher hardness than the lithium disilicate, and with the proper heat treatment a higher fracture toughness was achieved for the zirconia–silica glass ceramic. In conclusion, the material produced in this study showed promising results for use in dental applications, but the production method is sensitive and large specimen sizes may be difficult to achieve.