EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SURFACE FINISHING PROCEDURES ON SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND FRACTURE TOUGHNESS IN ALL-CERAMIC RESTORATION

The effect of different surface treatments on the flexural strength of four different dental ceramic specimens was investigated. The four ceramic systems were reinforced lithium disilicate, reinforced zirconia, reinforced glass-infiltrated alumina, and a feldspathic ceramic. For the first group, grinding burs, for the second group a polishing kit and for the third group glazing procedures were applied as surface treatments. The surface roughness, mean fracture toughness, and SEM were used to describe the surface features. The surface treatments affected the flexural strength and surface roughness of all the ceramic systems evaluated.