Application of Zirconia in Dentistry: Biological, Mechanical and Optical Considerations

With the aim of replacing the infrastructure of metallic dental prostheses, structural ceramics have been improved and have become increasingly more popular in dentistry. Among the dental ceramics, zirconia has emerged as a versatile and promising material because of its biological, mechanical and optical properties, which has certainly accelerated its routine use in CAD/CAM technology for different types of prosthetic treatment. Zirconia based ceramics are routinely used in structural applications in engineering, such as in the manufacture of cutting tools, gas sensors, refractories and structural opacifiers. (Rashad & Baioumy, 2008). To meet structural demands, zirconia is doped with stabilizers to achieve high strength and fracture toughness. (Kelly & Denry, 2008). The bioceramics that are currently used in medical and dental care are derived from structural materials used in aerospace and military armor, which were modified to suit the additional requirements of biocompatibility. (Thompson et al., 2007; Vagkopoulou et al., 2009).