Bonding a veneered zirconia anterior fixed partial denture

This case report documents the rationale and procedure for bonding a veneered zirconia restoration. A three-unit zirconia fixed partial denture (FPD) was fabricated with facial and incisal porcelain veneering. The intaglio surface of the prosthesis was abraded with 50-μm aluminum oxide (Al2O3) particles and coated with one layer of a 10-methacryloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP) primer. The FPD was tried into the mouth and occlusal adjustment was performed with a fine grit diamond, and then it was polished with zirconia polishing points. The intaglio surfaces of the abutment crowns were cleaned with 37% phosphoric acid and rinsed. A self-etch adhesive was applied to the tooth preparations and light-cured, and the crowns were filled with cement and seated. Excess cement was immediately wiped away with a brush, followed by spot-curing of the margins. The case demonstrates that, when properly designed, veneered zirconia restorations offer acceptable esthetic and mechanical properties for anterior FPDs.