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Updated: Jan 24, 2026

Convergent Polishing: A Simple, Rapid, Full Aperture Polishing Process of High Quality Optical Flats & Spheres
Published on: December 1, 2014
Different polishing methods for zirconia: impact on surface, optical, and mechanical properties
Regina Pfefferle1, Nina Lümkemann1, Felicitas Wiedenmann2
1Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Goethestraße 70, 80336, Munich, Germany.
Objectives:
To test the impact of polishing strategies on zirconia properties.
Materials And Methods:
One hundred eight zirconia specimens were divided into nine groups (n = 12/group). Seven groups were polished in the white-stage with either (1) a felt wheel (FW), (2) a felt wheel combined with a polishing paste (FWP), (3) a goat hair brush (GB), (4) a goat hair brush combined with a polishing paste (GBP), (5) a green-state finishing kit (FK), (6) a universal polisher (UP), or (7) with SiC polishing paper (PP), and sintered. Thereafter, the seven groups were divided into two subgroups each and polished using (1) a fine polisher (one-step, n = 6) or (2) a rough and fine polisher (two-steps, n = 6). The positive control group (polish-lab-kit, PLK) was sintered and polished in two-steps. The no polished group (NP) acted as negative control group. Translucency (T%) was measured after white-stage polishing and sintering, and after sintered-stage polishing. Surface free energy (SFE), surface roughness (SR), and flexural strength (FS) were determined. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey-B post-hoc, t test, and Wilcoxon-test (p < 0.05).
Results:
FWP, GB, FK, UP, and PP presented decreased T% after one-step, while FWP, GB, GBP, FK, and UP presented decreased T% following two-steps polishing. FW showed the highest T% after white-stage, one-, and two-steps polishing. PP presented the lowest SFE. Two-steps polishing resulted in a lower SR for FW, FWP, GB, FK, UP, and PP and increased FS in all groups.
Conclusions:
White-stage polishing improved zirconia properties. Two-steps polishing in the sintered stage, especially when combined with a polishing paste, can decrease SR and increase T% and FS.
Clinical Relevance:
With polishing in the sintered-stage impairing the polishing material and being time consuming, alternatives such as white-stage polishing should be investigated.
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