Zirconia-TZP and alumina--advanced technologies for the manufacturing of single crowns.

All-ceramic crowns based on Zirconia-TZP-frameworks should have advantages in comparison to copings of Alumina (PROCERA-AllCeram) because of their mechanical properties. Zirconia-TZP-frameworks were manufactured after optical digitising using a modified Precident-DCS-System. The mean fracture strength and the vertical marginal discrepancy of Zirconia-TZP-frameworks and Alumina-copings (PROCERA-AllCeram) were determined. Additionally the bonding strength of suitable veneering ceramics on pre-treated Zirconia-TZP surfaces was examined using the scratch test and the shear bonding strength. The results show that the bonding between Zirconia-TZP and the veneering ceramics as well as the precision of fit of the veneered crowns are comparable with established systems.