The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different surface treatments on roughness, grain size, and phase transformation of presintered zirconia.

Surface treatments included airborne particle abrasion (APA) before and after sintering with different particles shape, size, and pressure (50 μm Al₂O₃, 50 μm glass beads, and ceramic powder). Thirty-five square-shaped presintered yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) ceramic slabs (Zenostar ZR bridge, Wieland) were prepared (4 mm height × 10 mm width × 10 mm length) and polished with silicon carbide grit papers #800, 1000, 1200, 1500, and 2000 to ensure identical initial roughness. Specimens were divided into five groups according to surface treatment: group I (control): no surface treatment; group II: APA 50 μm Al₂O₃ after sintering; group III: APA 50 μm Al₂O₃ particles before sintering; group IV: APA 50 μm glass bead particles before sintering; and group V: APA ceramic powder before sintering. Specimens were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, and tested for shear bond strength (SBS). Data were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post hoc tests for multiple comparisons Tukey's test (α ≥ 0.05).

Air abrasion before sintering significantly increased the surface roughness when compared with groups I and III. The highest tetragonal to monoclinic (t-m) phase transformation (0.07%) was observed in group III, and a reverse transformation was observed in presintered groups (0.01%). Regarding bond strength, there was a significant difference between APA procedures pre- and postsintering.

Air abrasion before sintering is a valuable method for increasing surface roughness and SBS. The abrasive particles’ size and type used before sintering had a little effect on phase transformation.

Air abrasion before sintering could be supposed to be an alternative surface treatment method to air abrasion after sintering.

Skienhe H, Habchi R, Ounsi HF, Ferrari M, Salameh Z. Structural and Morphological Evaluation of Presintered Zirconia following Different Surface Treatments. J Contemp Dent Pract 2018;19(2):156-165.