Translucency and strength of high-translucency monolithic zirconium oxide materials

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the translucency and strength of highly translucent monolithic zirconia ceramic materials recently introduced to the market. Four monolithic zirconium oxide materials promoted as having high translucency (BruxZir Shaded 16, BruxZir HT, Lava Plus, and inCoris TZI C) were compared to a high-translucency, lithium disilicate monolithic glass-ceramic material (IPS e.max CAD HT). To evaluate translucency, the materials were sectioned into 0.5-, 1.0-, 1.5-, and 2.0-mm-thick specimens; all were sintered and polished. Translucency parameters were calculated with a spectrophotometer. To evaluate flexural strength and modulus, the ceramic materials were sectioned to create beams and fractured in a universal testing machine. The lithium disilicate had significantly greater translucency than the zirconia materials at each thickness. In general, the translucencies of the zirconia materials were similar at each thickness. However, at the manufacturers' recommended minimal thicknesses, 0.5-mm specimens of BruxZir Shaded 16, inCoris TZI C, and Lava Plus were more translucent than the 1.0-mm-thick specimens of IPS e.max CAD HT. Translucency significantly decreased for each material at each increase in thickness. The flexural strengths of the zirconia materials were similar to each other and significantly greater than that of IPS e.max CAD HT. Flexural moduli were more variable. Of the zirconia materials, BruxZir Shaded 16 had an overall better combination of translucency, strength, and modulus.