Optical properties of new zirconia-based dental ceramics: literature review

Abstract The first generation of polycrystalline zirconia-based ceramic used to produce dental prosthesis showed excellent mechanical behavior; however, its low translucency limited the indication for aesthetic monolithic restorations. Thus, various strategies have been tested in order to develop a material that has high strength and good optical properties. The aim of this study was to characterize, through a literature review, the translucency of different types of zirconia-based ceramics indicated for monolithic restorations. The literature search was performed in PubMed/Medline database, from 2010 to 2019, using as keywords: zirconia, translucency, and optical properties. The 3rd (monochromatic) and 4th (multichromatic) generations of zirconia, which have high cubic phase content, showed the highest translucency among the zirconia-based ceramics investigated. Additionally, other strategies, such as the addition of lanthanum oxide and the infiltration of feldspathic glass in the zirconia surface (graded-zirconia), resulted in a good balance of optical and mechanical properties.