Influence of Aging on Biaxial Flexural Strength and Hardness of Translucent 3Y-TZP

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the influence of aging and surface treatment on surface roughness, biaxial flexural strength (BFS), and Vickers hardness (VHN) of translucent dental zirconia. Half of 80 disc-shaped zirconia specimens (1.2 mm thickness and 12 mm diameter) were aged (group A) in an autoclave for 20 h (134 °C and 0.2 MPa) and the other half were not aged (group N). Specimens were subjected to: no surface treatment (SIN), particle air-abrasion with 50 µm alumina particles at 1 bar (0.1 MPa) and 2.5 bar (0.25 MPa), or polishing down to 1 µm (POL). Specimens were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, laser scanning microscope, BFS, and VHN tests. Three groups (N-SIN, N-POL, and A-POL) showed almost no monoclinic phase. While other groups showed monoclinic phase ratios ranging from 7.5 vol. % ± 2.4 vol. % (N-0.1 MPa) to 41.5 vol. % ± 0.3 vol. % (A-0.1 MPa). Aging and particle air-abrasion increased significantly the BFS, ranging from 720 ± 37 MPa (N-SIN) to 1153 ± 92 MPa (N-0.1 MPa). The hardness was not influenced significantly by aging. A certain amount of monoclinic phase at the surface strengthens the high translucent dental zirconia, while hardness and roughness are not influenced. The pressure of particle air-abrasion showed no influence on the evaluated properties.