Fracture Load of Different Zirconia Types: A Mastication Simulation Study.

Objective: To assess the effect of yttria mol% concentration and material thickness on the biaxial fracture load (N) of zirconia with and without mastication simulation.

Methods: Disk-shaped specimens (N = 120) of 3 mol% yttria-partially stabilized zirconia, 3Y-PSZ (Katana High Translucent, Kuraray Noritake), 4 mol% yttria-partially stabilized zirconia, 4Y-PSZ (Katana Super Translucent Multi Layered) and 5 mol% Yttria-partially stabilized zirconia, 5Y-PSZ (Katana Ultra Translucent Multi Layered) were prepared to thicknesses of 0.7 and 1.2 mm. For each thickness, the biaxial fracture load (N) was measured with and without mastication simulation with 1.2 million cycles at a 110-N load and simultaneous thermal cycling at 5°C to 55°C. The data were analyzed by three-way Analysis of Variance (α = 0.05) and Tukey-Kramer adjusted multiple comparison test.

Results: Yttria mol% concentration and material thickness had a statistically significant effect on the mean biaxial fracture load (F = 388.16, p < 0.001 and F = 714.33, p < 0.001 respectively). The mean biaxial fracture load ranged from the highest to the lowest; 3Y-PSZ, 4Y-PSZ, and 5Y-PSZ (p = 0.012). The mean biaxial fracture load of the 1.2 mm thickness groups was significantly higher than 0.7 mm thickness at any given condition (p = 0.002). Not all specimens survived the mastication simulation protocol. Fifty percent of the 0.7-mm-thick 4Y-PSZ specimens, 70% of the 0.7-mm-thick 5Y-PSZ specimens and 20% of 1.2-mm-thick 5Y-PSZ specimens fractured during mastication simulation. Mastication simulation had no statistically significant effect on the biaxial fracture load (F = 1.24, p = 0.239) of the survived specimens.

Conclusions: Lowering yttria mol% concentration and increasing material thickness significantly increases the fracture load of zirconia. At 0.7 mm thickness, only 3Y-PSZ survived masticatory simulation. A minimum material thickness of 1.2 mm is required for 4Y-PSZ or 5Y-PSZ.