A Review of Surface Treatment Methods to Improve the Adhesive Cementation of Zirconia-Based Ceramics

In spite of high mechanical strength, zirconia-based ceramics (ZrO2) has poor bond strength after conventional bond cementation procedures, requiring different surface treatment methods (STMs). This review gathered information about the STM for adhesive cementation (AC) to ZrO2 in the PubMed database, considering in vitro studies pertaining to AC for acid-resistant ceramics (ZrO2) limited to peer-reviewed papers published in English between 1965 and 2013 in dental journals. Different STMs have been proposed for ZrO2: air-abrasion (laboratory or chairside) with silica- (Si-) coated aluminum particles, the use of materials containing phosphate monomers, primer or silane application, laser irradiation, Si vapor phase deposition, and selective infiltration etching. In conclusion, STMs improve bond strength of resin luting cement to ZrO2 mainly when tested in short time. STMs must be correlated to the type of ZrO2 and the resin cement.