The Influence of Different Types of Surface Treatment on the Surface Roughness and Bond Strength of Zirconia: An In-Vitro Study

Abstract

Purpose: Evaluating the effects of different surface treatments on the zirconia surface and resin cement adhesive strength.

Materials and Methods: Using an STL file, 60 monolithic zirconia discs (Vita YZ HT) with dimensions of 10 mm in diameter and 2 mm in height were produced. They were machined, and sintered, and the surface was smoothed using 600, 800, and 1200 grit aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) paper. Four groups were created based on the surface treatment applied to the discs: no treatment (control), sandblasting, potassium hydrogen difluoride, and Zircos-E solution. Resin cement cylinders (Panavia V5; Kuraray Noritake) were applied on zirconia discs using a custom mold. The shear bond strength was assessed after thermocycling. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) has been utilized to analyze the morphological alterations of a specimen from every group. The results were statistically analyzed using a two-way ANOVA and a post-hoc Tukey's test (P < 0.05).

Results: The data analysis revealed that airborne particle abrasion with 50-µm Al₂O₃ produced the greatest shear bond strength values that were recorded at 128.933 ± 2.764Mpa. At 50.933 ± 9.573 Mpa, the control group's results were the lowest. There was a statistically significant increase in the shear bond strength values (p<0.05) when 50-µm Al₂O₃ was utilized in airborne particle abrasion.

Conclusion: Surface treatments increased the adhesive strength between zirconia and resin cement, and airborne particle abrasion with 50-µm Al₂O₃ was shown to be a useful technique for bond strength enhancement.