Influences of multiple firings and aging on surface roughness, strength and hardness of veneering ceramics for zirconia frameworks

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of multiple firings and aging on surface roughness, strength, and hardness of veneering ceramics for zirconia frameworks. Methods: Five different veneering ceramics for zirconia frameworks were used: Vintage ZR (ZR), Cerabien ZR (CZR), VitaVM9 (VM9), Cercon ceram KISS (KISS), and IPS e.max ceram (e.max). Specimens were fired 2 or 10 times in order to accelerate aging. Surface roughness was evaluated using laser profilometry. Flexural strength and Vickers hardness were also measured. Surface topography was observed using scanning electron microscopy. Results: After accelerated aging, the surface roughness of all specimens fired 10 times was significantly lower than that of the same specimens fired 2 times (P = 0.000). Except for VM9, the flexural strength of all specimens fired 10 times was greater than that of the same specimens fired 2 times, and the differences were significant for ZR and CZR (P < 0.01). The flexural strength of VM9 fired 10 times was significantly lower than that of VM9 fired 2 times (P = 0.034). The Vickers hardness of ZR and VM9 fired 10 times was significantly higher than that of the same specimens fired 2 times (P < 0.05), but that of KISS fired 10 times was significantly lower than that of KISS fired 2 times (P = 0.000). Conclusions: Multiple firings had a positive effect on the surface roughness of all aged veneering ceramics used for zirconia restorations and on the strength and hardness of many aged veneering ceramics used for zirconia restorations. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.