This study proposes the development of a recycling process for the reintegration of dental zirconia waste into CAD/CAM systems for rapid prototyping, with the objective of demonstrating the feasibility of manufacturing functional products from recycled zirconia obtained from a commercial dental laboratory. The proposed methodology aims to explore a simple and economically viable process, which involves the purification and processing of a heterogeneous zirconia powder, followed by the fabrication of pre-sintered blocks suitable for CAD/CAM applications. The recycled bulk ceramic was characterized and compared with commercial zirconia through density measurements, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Vickers hardness, flexural strength testing, and sintering shrinkage analysis. The results indicated that, although recycled zirconia exhibits lower property values than the commercial reference material, it retains adequate characteristics for specific practical applications. Consequently, to demonstrate industrial feasibility, four components were designed using CAD and machined using CAM from the recycled blocks, simulating a rapid prototyping process. The fabricated components exhibited a smooth and flawless surface, were mechanically robust and solid to the touch, and showed well-defined contours with sharp edges. Dimensional analysis demonstrated high accuracy, with an average percentage error of 0.53% ± 0.14. These findings demonstrate that high-value ceramic waste can be reintegrated into the production chain as functional industrial components through a process that is closely aligned with the real conditions of industrial recycling, while also mitigating environmental contamination from hazardous industrial waste.

This study aimed to develop a recycling process for reintegrating dental zirconia waste into CAD/CAM systems and to demonstrate the feasibility of producing functional products from the recycled material. The process began with the purification of zirco-nia, followed by the fabrication of pre sintered blocks compatible with these systems. Subsequently, sintered commercial and recycled zirconia were characterized and compared through density measurements, Vickers hardness, flexural strength, X ray diffraction, hydrothermal degradation analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that recycled zirconia exhibits structural properties suitable for practi-cal applications, enabling the fabrication of several industrial prototypes. Overall, this work demonstrates that high value materials such as zirconia can be successfully recy-cled and reintegrated into manufacturing workflows, thereby reducing harmful waste while contributing to environmental sustainability and cost reduction.