A review on surface texturing of zirconia ceramics for dental applications

Zirconia ceramic is an ideal dental restoration material owing to its good biocompatibility, superior physical behaviors, and excellent aesthetic properties. However, peri-implant inflammation and excessive occlusal surface wear are critical issues that hinder the clinical application of zirconia ceramic dentures. The surface texturing technique is an unique means to improve the surface properties of products, such as biocompatibility. This paper provides a detailed overview of the definition and development of surface texturing techniques. A comprehensive review is conducted on the machining mechanisms and features of common texture preparation techniques, such as laser texturing and ultrasonic vibration texturing. The mechanisms of surface textures on the tribological behaviors, wettability, and antibacterial behaviors of specimens such as restorations are deeply discussed. The limitations of current studies on surface texturing techniques of dental zirconia ceramics and the future prospects are outlined. The review can help scientists improve the currently available cost-effective texture preparation process and develop high-performance denture restorations.