Fluorescence and physical properties of thulium and erbium co-doped dental zirconia

The fluorescence and physical properties of thulium and erbium co-doped dental zirconia were investigated. The high-translucency yttria-stabilized dental zirconia specimens co-doped with Tm₂O₃ powder 0.8 wt% and Er₂O₃ powder at proportions from 0.1 to 0.8 wt% were used. The specimens co-doped with Tm₂O₃ powder 0.8 wt% and Er₂O₃ from 0.3 to 0.5 wt% exhibited the fluorescence similar to that of natural tooth. All the specimens had a tetragonal peak and no major change in the Vickers hardness, fracture toughness and bending strength on addition of Tm₂O₃ and Er₂O₃. These results suggest that the method of co-doping trace amounts of Tm₂O₃ and Er₂O₃ into high-translucency dental zirconia powder can effectively improve the esthetics of zirconia monolithic fixed dental prothesis.