Improving flexural strength of dental restorative ceramics using laser interference direct structuring

Abstract

Zirconia and alumina ceramics restorative materials were treated with laser interference direct structuring using the third harmonic of a short pulse Nd:YAG and tested in a three-point bending test to measure the flexural strength. The surface was restructured in a periodic line like pattern with controlled surface porosity and a surface composite pattern. The composite consist of two different defect states rather than different phase compositions. The resulting mechanical properties are a function of the number of laser pulses, laser energy, and angle in between the laser beams defining the periodic feature distance. This composite effect is comparable with a laminate showing increasing stiffness with decreasing layer thickness. The material�s fracture strength could be controlled through the three mentioned laser parameters and in an initial study significantly improved by up to 50% from initial 422 MPa to 630 MPa for alumina and 833 MPa to 1250 MPa for zirconia.