Evaluation of zirconia bonding to veneering porcelain

Zirconium dioxide as core ceramic material for dental crowns and bridges, possess high strength, chemical stability and superior aesthetics after veneering. Veneering ceramic is considered to be the weakest part of all-ceramic restorations. The adhesion between the core and veneering porcelain is based on the manner in which the connection occurs in metal-ceramic structures. Standard procedures for connecting zirconia to hard dental tissues and veneering materials do not achieve the required strength of bonding. The aim of the paper is to investigate different surface treatments of the zirconium dioxide ceramic core and find the best, for achieving highest adhesive bonding values to veneering porcelain. The study was primarily designed to investigate the bonding strength of the veneering porcelain to zirconia with in vitro Macro shear bond strength test. The specimens with different surface treatment of the zirconia were divided in five groups of twelve according to the treatment of zirconium surface and results showed highest bonding values for specimens treated with Rocatec system.