What are the chemical properties of dental zirconia blocks？

The chemical properties of dental zirconia blocks are mainly reflected in their stability, corrosion resistance and reaction characteristics with other substances. The following is a detailed analysis of the chemical properties of dental zirconia blocks:

First, stability

Chemical inertia: Zirconia is a relatively stable material with chemical properties, and it is not easy to chemically react with other substances at room temperature and pressure. This chemical inertness allows zirconia to maintain stable properties in the oral environment and is not susceptible to the effects of various chemicals in the mouth.

Thermal stability: Zirconia has a high melting point (about 2700ºC to 2715ºC) and a good coefficient of thermal expansion (about 1.08×10^-5 K^-1), which makes it stable in high temperature environments, not easy to deformation or rupture. This property allows zirconia to maintain good form and dimensional accuracy during high temperature sintering, resulting in highly accurate dental restorations.

Second, corrosion resistance

Acid and alkali resistance: zirconia has good stability to acid and alkali, and can resist the erosion of the acid and alkali environment in the mouth. In addition to strong acids such as hydrofluoric acid and sulfuric acid, zirconia can maintain stable properties in most acid and base solutions.

Chemical erosion resistance: Zirconia also has strong chemical erosion resistance, which can resist the erosion of various chemical substances in the mouth (such as food residues, enzymes in saliva, etc.), so as to maintain the long-term stability and aesthetics of the restoration.

Third, reaction characteristics

Reaction with stabilizers: In order to improve the performance and stability of zirconia, some stabilizers (such as yttrium oxide) are usually added to form more stable composite materials (such as Yttrium oxide partially stabilized zirconia, YTZP). These stabilizers can interact with zirconia to form a more stable crystalline phase structure, thereby improving the strength and toughness of the material.

Interfacial reactions with other substances: Zirconia restorations need to be connected to natural teeth or other restorative materials during dental restorations. Some weak chemical or physical reactions may occur at these interfaces, but these reactions usually do not have a significant impact on the overall performance of the prosthesis.

In summary, dental zirconia blocks have excellent chemical stability, corrosion resistance and good reaction characteristics. These chemical properties make zirconia widely used in the field of dental prosthetics and can meet the high requirements of patients for aesthetics, comfort and durability.