Effect of Additive Manufacturing Surface Morphology on Dental Cement Adhesion to Zirconia #WorldResearchAwards

Introduction

durable adhesion to zirconia has long been a challenge in restorative dentistry because of zirconia’s chemically inert and non-etchable surface. conventional surface treatments such as polishing and alumina sandblasting rely mainly on limited micromechanical retention and may lead to variability in bonding performance. additive manufacturing (am) introduces a new paradigm by enabling precise control over surface morphology at the design stage itself. by tailoring surface topographies during fabrication, am offers the potential to enhance resin cement interlocking without the need for aggressive post-processing, opening new research directions for reliable zirconia bonding.

Additive manufacturing of zirconia surfaces

slurry-based 3d printing allows the fabrication of zirconia with customized surface architectures that are difficult or impossible to achieve using subtractive cad/cam methods. in this study, three am-derived surface designs—concave–convex hemispherical patterns, concave hemispherical patterns, and as-printed surfaces—were successfully produced and sintered at high temperature. these engineered morphologies demonstrate how am can integrate functional surface design directly into the manufacturing workflow, reducing dependence on secondary surface treatments and improving reproducibility.

Surface morphology and microstructural features

field-emission scanning electron microscopy revealed distinct and well-defined surface characteristics in am specimens, including regular layered textures, designed hemispherical structures of approximately 300 µm, and step-like irregularities around 40 µm at layer interfaces. these multiscale features contribute to increased surface area and mechanical interlocking potential. compared with polished and sandblasted subtractive-manufactured zirconia, am surfaces showed more uniform and predictable topographies, highlighting the value of controlled layer-by-layer fabrication in surface engineering research.

Shear bond strength performance

shear bond strength testing demonstrated that zirconia with concave–convex hemispherical am surfaces achieved significantly higher bonding values than both polished and sandblasted cad/cam controls. the enhanced performance is attributed to improved micromechanical retention arising from the designed surface features, which facilitate resin cement penetration and anchorage. these findings suggest that am-engineered surfaces can outperform traditional mechanical treatments, providing a promising pathway for stronger and more reliable zirconia–resin interfaces.

Influence of build orientation

build orientation during additive manufacturing was found to play a critical role in bonding performance. vertically printed specimens exhibited greater shear bond strength than those printed parallel to the bonding surface. this effect is linked to differences in layer orientation, resin infiltration pathways, and interlocking efficiency at the adhesive interface. understanding and optimizing build orientation is therefore an important research topic, as it directly affects the functional performance of am-fabricated dental ceramics.

Future perspectives and clinical relevance

the results indicate that additive manufacturing can deliver zirconia surfaces with superior and reproducible micromechanical retention compared to conventional subtractive techniques. however, further research is needed to optimize printing parameters, refine surface designs, and assess long-term durability under thermomechanical aging. translating these findings into clinical practice will require comprehensive evaluation of reliability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, positioning am as a transformative technology in advanced dental materials research.

Hashtags

#additivemanufacturing, #zirconia, #dentalmaterials, #surfaceengineering, #shearbondstrength, #resincement, #3dprinting, #cadcam, #micromechanicalretention, #biomaterialsresearch, #dentistryresearch, #ceramicmaterials, #fe_sem, #manufacturingtechnology, #clinicaldentistry, #materialsinnovation, #researchinsights, #advancedmaterials, #scientificresearch, #worldresearchawards,

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