Zirconia (ZrO₂) bioceramics are widely used in dental restoration. However, their hardness is approximately four times that of human enamel (2.74–3.74 GPa), which tends to cause unfavorably high flaw sensitivity, increased tendency for failure of the restorations, and accelerated wear on adjacent teeth. This study introduced hydroxyapatite (HA) to modulate the properties of zirconia, resulting in a softer and more compliant dental material. Using digital light processing (DLP) technology, ZrO 2 -HA composite ceramics were fabricated and the effects of HA and the sintering temperature on their performance were investigated. After sintering at 1400 °C, the ZrO₂-20 wt% HA ceramic achieved a Vickers hardness of 3.83 GPa, comparable to that of natural tooth enamel, with the flexural strength (128 MPa) satisfying clinical requirements for dental crowns (100 MPa). When sintered at 1450 °C, the hardness increased slightly to 4.17 GPa, while the flexural strength improved to 159 MPa, demonstrating superior overall performance. In addition, the ceramic exhibited excellent biocompatibility without adversely affecting cell adhesion or proliferation. These results indicate that ZrO 2 -20 wt% HA ceramics prepared by DLP are ideal low-hardness dental crowns that can effectively prevent wear on natural teeth.
Su et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
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