Reliability of crowns produced from experimental bilayer zirconia blocks

• Grant number: 24/20926-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Materials
• Principal Investigator: Estevam Augusto Bonfante
• Grantee: Edisa de Oliveira Sousa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/06730-7 - Towards sustainable zirconia recycled from milling waste and boosted by glass infiltration for restorative use, and of the development of strong, graded, and aging resistant multilayered zirconia blocks, AP.JP2

Abstract

This study, associated to the Young Investigator Grant - Phase 2 (#2021/06730-7), aims to mill prosthetic crowns using experimental bilayer zirconia blocks. The goal is to characterize the microstructure and mechanical properties of these crowns, synthesized from commercial zirconia powders: 3Y-TZP (3Y), 4Y-PSZ (4Y), and 5Y-PSZ (5Y). Experimental bilayer blocks with different configurations (3Y+5Y, 3Y+4Y, and 4Y+5Y) will be manufactured based on protocols defined in a pilot study, for subsequent milling of the crowns via a CAD/CAM system. The experimental groups will be comprised of: a graded group (with glass infiltration) and a glazed group (without glass infiltration). Microstructural characterization will be performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the mechanical behavior will be evaluated through progressive accelerated fatigue testing, followed by fractographic analysis. Results will be compared with commercial control groups, contributing to the development of optimized protocols for the fabrication of multilayer zirconia systems, with a focus on enhancing their properties. (AU)