Product Code: ICAL05_M207

Microshaping of Densely Sintered Zirconia Ceramic Using Femtosecond Lasers
Authors:
Kristian Werelius, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt; Frankfurt/Main Germany
Niko Baersch, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.; Hannover Germany
Fernando Liebana, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.; Hannover Germany
Stephan Barcikowski, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.; Hannover Germany
Uwe Stute, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.; Hannover Germany
Andreas Ostendorf, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.; Hannover Germany
Presented at ICALEO 2005

For dental restorations, very dense and hard ceramics - especially hot isostatically pressed forms of zirconia ceramics like HIP Y-TZP - have the potential of superseding conventional dental material. Structuring such ceramics with femtosecond lasers avoids strong tool wear that is unavoidable when using mechanical processes, and largely avoids crystal structure transformations in the bulk material during the process. For this reason, femtosecond lasers are intended as the key tool for HIP ceramic dental restoration manufacturing units.

We demonstrate why lasers in the femtosecond regime are most suitable for these demands and search for optimal structuring approaches to be implemented in dental crown processing - including cuts, grooves, and holes as well as edge polishing and superficial roughening. Applications of such processes in connection with dental crowns and bridges include the complete production by shape cutting from solid material, finishing steps, as well as surface structuring for the purpose of optimized cement adhesion.