Effect of Er: YAG laser and plasma treatment on the bond strength of Y-TZP

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Er:YAG laser and plasma treatment on the bond strength between Y-TZP and resin cement. Materials and methods Sixty yttrium-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) specimens were fabricated and randomly assigned to six groups (n = 10): control group (group A); Sandblasting treatment (group B); Er:YAG laser group (group C); Ar plasma group (group D); Sandblasting + Ar plasma group (group E); and Er:YAG laser + Ar plasma group (group F). The surface of each zirconia specimen was tested using a contact angle meter, profilometer, and scanning electron microscope, and the shear bonding strength (SBS) was calculated. Statistical analysis was performed with One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) combined with a least significant difference (LSD) test. Results The surface morphology showed no difference between group A and group D, with smooth surfaces and shallow scratches after polishing. The surface roughness value of group C was 2.58 ± 0.14μm and was not significantly different from that of group F ( P > 0.05), was higher than that of group A ( P < 0.05). The SBS of group B was not significantly different from that of group D ( P > 0.05). The hydrophilicity, carbon and oxygen contents, and SBS of group E were similar to those of group F ( P > 0.05) and significantly higher than those of groups A, B, C, and D ( P < 0.05). Significance The Er:YAG laser and Ar plasma treatment can improve the bonding strength between zirconia and resin cement, and mechanical treatment followed by Ar plasma surface modification is more effective.