THE EFFECT OF SURFACE FINISHES ON FLEXURAL STRENGTH, FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF FELDSPATHIC DENTAL PORCELAIN

Abstract

Statement of problems. Conventional feldspathic porcelain is used extensively as a restorative material and it is subjected to grinding and polishing during fabrication and delivery procedures. There is still considerable controversy concerning the best methods to achieve the strongest porcelain restorations after such adjustments. Purpose. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of (1) overglazing, (2) selfglazing, and (3) fine polishing on the flexural strength and fracture toughness of feldspathic dental porcelain. Material and method. Ninety porcelain disks were prepared for flexural strength test and sixty porcelain disks were fabricated for fracture toughness test. Specimens were divided into three groups for each test as follows: 1) overglazed 2) self-glazed 3) polished. The flexural strength of feldspathic porcelains was determined by ring-on-ring biaxial flexural strength test. The fracture toughness values of three experimental groups were obtained by indentation fracture toughness test. Results. The flexural strength of overglazed group was significantly higher than that of selfglazed and polished group (P<0.05), while the difference between self-glazed and polished group was not significant (P>0.05). The fracture toughness values of overglazed and polished group were significantly higher than that of self-glazed group (P<0.05), while the difference between overglazed and polished group was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusions. This results supported the use of polishing as an alternative to glazing metal ceramic restorations, as it was not detrimental in flexural strength and fracture toughness. But, under the conditions of this study, overglazing was the ideal surface finishing method of feldspathic dental porcelain.