ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of K2O addition on the crystallization property of dental glass-ceramics in the Li2O-SiO2-Al2O3-P2O5-ZnO system.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Different content of K2O was added into Li2O-SiO2-Al2O3-P2O5-ZnO glass system. The heat-treated system of the glass-ceramics was determined by differential thermal analyses (DTA), then the crystallization components and the microstmcture of the glass-ceramics with different content of K2O were investigated from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Addition of K2O helped to reduce the viscosity of the glass system and improved crystallization. More lithium disilicate crystals appeared after heated-treatment of the glass system which contained 5.3 wt% addition of K2O, and the homogeneously lath-shaped crystals were 4 gm in length.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Certain content of K2O can improve the crystallization property of dental glass-ceramics in the Li2O-SiO2-Al2O3-P2O5-ZnO system.</p>