Mechanical Milling and Surface Texturing of 3Y-TZP Ceramics: A Mini Review

The 3 mol% yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (3Y-TZP) ceramics have been extensively used in restorative dentistry due to their excellent esthetic effects, good chemical stability, and superior biocompatibility. Mechanical milling and surface texturing are two important aspects when dealing with the processing of zirconia ceramics for dental applications. The present paper reviews the recent advances achieved in the mentioned research fields. The fundamental milling features of 3Y-TZP ceramics are initially introduced with a particular focus on the cut surface quality. The effects of different process parameters on the machinability of 3Y-TZP ceramics are briefly summarized. Additionally, the basic mechanisms of surface texturing of these bioceramics are introduced. The mechanisms controlling how the microtextures affect the service performances of 3Y-TZP are carefully reviewed. Finally, the current research challenges and the future perspectives concerning the mechanical processing of 3Y-TZP are outlined.