Roughness of the Surface of Zirconia Reinforced Lithium Disilicate Ceramic Treated by Different Procedures

Abstract

Lithium disilicate and zirconia are the two most popular materials for aesthetic and dental prosthetic work; however, due to their limitations, a new material is being researched, namely zirconia-reinforced lithium disilicate, the surface of which is treated with different procedures to achieve the best possible surface properties. In this study, the surface of zirconia-reinforced lithium disilicate glass-ceramic was treated using different methods (conventional and laser) to determine the effects of the treatment procedures on the surface properties and surface roughness to achieve a higher strength of adhesion from the self-adhesive resin cement to zirconia-reinforced lithium disilicate. The treated surfaces were investigated using profilometry, X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence. The results obtained were statistically evaluated. The results show that the surface roughness is highest for the samples treated with Er:YAG (erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser) and silanisation. Furthermore, the surface treatment procedures applied did not change the composition of the surface.