Zirconia CAD/CAM machining vibrations related to zirconia blank shape and initial digital nesting.

Aim: To evaluate CAD/CAM milling vibrations related to zirconia disk design, framework, and location of digital crown nesting during zirconia soft milling.

Materials and methods: In the present in vitro study, 25 round zirconia disks of 98 mm (R group) and 15 D-shaped zirconia disks of 71 mm (D group) were placed in a 5-axis CAD/CAM milling unit. The R group had 3 crown milling sites (n = 75) and the D group had 2 crown milling sites (n = 30). In the R group, site A was located 57 mm, site B was 92 mm, and site C was 123 mm from the machine holder attachment. In the D group, site A was 57 mm and site C was 123 mm from the machine holder attachment. A vibration meter (VB-8200; Lutron) was connected to the disk holder, and data (mm/second) were collected during the milling process at the different nesting locations. One-way ANOVA with post-hoc tests and Bonferroni correction for multiple tests were used to compare the groups (α = 0.05).

Results: In the R group, site C exhibited the highest mean vibration values compared with site A (P = 0.001). The first and second cutting tools (2.5 and 1 mm) exhibited statistically significant differences between the D and R groups at milling sites A and C (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively).

Conclusions: Milling vibration increased as the distance between the machine holder arm and a digitally nested site increased. Round zirconia disks induced higher vibration values compared with D-shaped disks.