Bond strength of veneer ceramic and zirconia cores with different surface modifications after microwave sintering

PURPOSE. To evaluate the effects of surface treatments on shear bond strength (SBS) between microwave and conventionally sintered zirconia core/veneers. MATERIALS AND METHODS. 96 disc shaped Noritake Alliance zirconia specimens were fabricated using YenaDent CAM unit and were divided in 2 groups with respect to microwave or conventional methods (n=48/group). Surface roughness (Ra) evaluation was made with a profilometer on randomly selected microwave (n=10) and conventionally sintered (n=10) cores. Specimens were then assessed into 4 subgroups according to surface treatments applied (n=12/group). Groups for microwave (M) and conventionally (C) sintered core specimens were as follows; $M_C$,$C_C$: untreated (control group), $M_1,C_1:Al_2O_3$ sandblasting, $M_2,C_2$:liner, $M_3,C_3:Al_2O_3$ sandblasting followed by liner. Veneer ceramic was fired on zirconia cores and specimens were thermocycled (6000 cycles between $5^{\circ}-55^{\circ}C$). All specimens were subjected to SBS test using a universal testing machine at 0.5 mm/min, failure were evaluated under an optical microscope. Data were statistically analyzed using Shapiro Wilk, Levene, Post-hoc Tukey HSD and Student's t tests, Two-Way-Variance- Analysis and One-Way-Variance-Analysis (${\alpha}$=.05). RESULTS. Conventionally sintered specimens ($1.06{\pm}0.32{\mu}m$) showed rougher surfaces compared to microwave sintered ones ($0.76{\pm}0.32{\mu}m$)(P=.046), however, no correlation was found between SBS and surface roughness (r=-0.109, P=.658). The statistical comparison of the shear bond strengths of $C_3$ and $C_1$ group (P=.015); $C_C$ and $M_C$ group (P=.004) and $C_3$ and $M_3$ group presented statistically higher (P=.005) values. While adhesive failure was not seen in any of the groups, cohesive and combined patterns were seen in all groups. CONCLUSION. Based on the results of this in-vitro study, $Al_2O_{3-}$ sandblasting followed by liner application on conventionally sintered zirconia cores may be preferred to enhance bond strength.