ABSTRACT
The objective of the research is to investigate the elements of routine sandblast technique on the evolution of bending strength of dental infiltrated Al2O3 ceramics and the underlying erosion mechanism. The plane specimens of an infiltrated ceramic were manufactured, polished and then tested under the modified pen-like sandblasting apparatus (90 degrees erosive angle and 10 mm sandblasting distance), with different grit sizes, working pressure and disposing time. Half of samples were selected randomly and sintered subsequently with Vitadur alpha veneering porcelain. Before and after sintering, the three-point-bending strengths was measured, and the surfaces of dental porcelain were observed with SEM and LCSM. The bending strength of ceramics decreased significantly after sandblast as compared with that of empty control group. After the procedure of sintering the veneering porcelain, the descending evolution of bending strength slowed down. Under the present manufacturing conditions, grit size effect is prominent among those correlative elements of sand grit size, working pressure and disposing time. And fatigue cracking characterizes the mechanism of erosion of dental infiltrated Al2O3 ceramics.