Dental zirconia porcelain block production process

The manufacturing process of dental zirconia porcelain pieces involves several delicate steps. The following is a general description of the manufacturing process:

First, raw material preparation

1. Selection of raw materials: Dental zirconia porcelain pieces are mainly composed of zirconia (ZrO2) powder, and usually add a small amount of alumina (Al2O3) and other stabilizers such as yttrium oxide (Y2O3) to improve its performance and stability.

2. Mixing and preparation: zirconia powder, alumina powder and stabilizer are mixed in a certain proportion, and an appropriate amount of organic matter (such as acetone, butyl acetate, etc.) is added as a binder and solvent to prepare a uniform slurry.

Second, the molding stage

1. Molding method: There are two main molding methods: isostatic molding and grouting molding.

- Isostatic molding method: the slurry is pressed into the desired shape of the blank through dry pressing, isostatic pressing and other processes, this process is simple, mature, high efficiency, but slightly poor permeability, strength, toughness slightly low.

- Grouting forming method: the slurry is injected into the mold, and the blank body is made after drying, demudding and other steps. This process is complex, but the porcelain block made is good in light transmission, density, strength and toughness.

Third, primary sintering (pre-sintering)

1. Sintering process: The formed body will be sintered in an inert atmosphere (such as nitrogen, argon, etc.) for the first time (pre-sintering), the temperature is usually between 1200℃ and 1500℃. The purpose of this step is to remove the organic components in the body, so that the ceramic particles are initially combined to form a yellow embryo (a formed but not fully sintered sample).

Fourth, mechanical processing

1. Finishing: Mechanical processing of the yellow embryo after initial sintering, such as cutting, grinding, etc., in order to obtain accurate size and shape.

Fifth, final sintering

1. Sintering process: The sample after mechanical processing is put into the sintering furnace for final sintering, the temperature is usually higher than the initial sintering, in order to achieve the required density and mechanical properties. During the sintering process, the ceramic particles are further combined, the porosity is reduced, the density is increased, and the compact and hard zirconia ceramic structure is formed.

Sixth, post-processing

1. Dyeing and glazing: According to needs, the sintered zirconia porcelain block is dyed and glazed to improve its beauty and wear resistance. The dyeing methods include powder solid mixed with calcined coloring and soluble salt solution mixed with calcined coloring.

2. Cleaning and disinfection: Finally, the finished product is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected to ensure its health and safety.

Seventh, quality testing

In the entire production process, it is also necessary to carry out several quality tests to ensure that the quality of zirconia porcelain pieces meet the relevant standards and requirements.

To sum up, the production process of dental zirconia porcelain is a complex and fine process, which requires strict control of the parameters and conditions of each link to obtain high-quality finished products. With the continuous progress and development of technology, the manufacturing process of dental zirconia porcelain pieces is also constantly optimized and improved.