Abstract

A lot of people around the world have some kind of medical implant. Dental implants are a significant part of this category and the crowns they support are essential to meeting the functional and aesthetic requirements of patients. Dental crown development is driven by materials science, and zirconium oxide (zirconia) is currently a promising non-metal alternative that is biocompatible and has excellent mechanical and aesthetic properties. Manufacturing technologies for zirconia-based ceramics are also undergoing significant development at the moment. Zirconia powder uniaxial and iso-static pressing techniques as well as the advantages of upcoming CAD/CAM technologies are discussed. Based on this review several knowledge gaps were identified most notably the need for experimental investigation of various sintering conditions and methods such as two-step sintering. The results of preliminary studies using alternative methods are promising and additional testing would help to ensure that the final product's mechanical, aesthetic and ageing properties are improved and optimized.