Additive manufacturing (AM) has many advantages and became a valid manufacturing technique for polymers and metals in dentistry. However, its application for dental ceramics is still in process. Among dental ceramics, zirconia is becoming popular and widely used in dentistry mainly due to its outstanding properties. Although subtractive technology or milling is the state of art for manufacturing zirconia restorations but still has shortcomings. Utilizing AM in fabricating ceramics restorations is a new topic for many researchers and companies across the globe and a good understanding of AM of zirconia is essential for dental professional. Therefore, the aim of this narrative review is to illustrate different AM technologies available for processing zirconia and discus their advantages and future potential. A comprehensive literature review was completed to summarize different AM technologies that are available to fabricate zirconia and their clinical application is reported. The results show a promising outcome for utilizing AM of zirconia in restorative, implant and regenerative dentistry. However further improvements and validation is necessary to approve its clinical application.
(1) Background: This study compared the fracture resistance of additively manufactured monolithic zirconia and bi-layered alumina toughened zirconia crowns on implants. (2) Methods: Maxillary model with a dental implant replacing right second bicuspid was obtained. Custom abutments and full-contour crowns for additively manufactured monolithic zirconia and bi-layered alumina reinforced zirconia crowns (n = 10) were fabricated. The crowns were cemented to implant-supported zirconia abutments and the assembly fixed onto resin blocks. Fracture resistance was measured using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 2 mm/min. A Kruskal–Wallis test was used to analyze the data. (3) Results: Although additively manufactured monolithic zirconia crowns demonstrated a higher mean fracture resistance than bi-layered alumina toughened zirconia crowns, statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in fracture resistance between the two groups. All specimens fractured at the implant–abutment interface. (4) Conclusions: Additively manufactured bi-layered alumina toughened zirconia crowns demonstrated similar fracture resistance to additively manufactured monolithic zirconia crowns when cemented to implant-supported zirconia abutments.
15 March 2023 in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry