ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate the effect of different kits to polish monolithic zirconia on its surface roughness. Material and Methods: Five samples were fabricated using zirconia blocks. Each sintered block was divided into four areas of equal size and each area was subjected to a specific surface treatment according to the four groups of the study: GC: no surface treatment, GG: unidirectional grinding with high speed tapered bur under refrigeration, GP1: wear similar to GG followed by polishing with zirconia polishing kit Kenda at the same wear direction, and GP2: wear similar to GG followed by polishing with zirconia polishing kit Diacera at the same wear direction. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of ceramic topography and roughness were performed using a digital optical profilometer, and Roughness measurements were performed using two parameters (Ra and Rz: arithmetical mean of the absolute values of the surface departures and of the five highest peaks and valleys, respectively). Scanning electron micrographs of each ceramic surface were obtained to illustrate sample roughness. The means of each group were analyzed by 1-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's test. Results: Morphological analysis showed that polishing kits provided the same pattern of a smooth surface. To statistical analysis, this study showed that different polishing kits influenced zirconia roughness for both Ra and Rz after surface wear (p < 0.05) with both situations improved the surface roughness observed immediately after zirconia sintering. Conclusion: According to the results, both polish kits resulted in a surface texture within acceptable clinical parameters.