Zirconia, a material, is gaining increased attention among dentists, dental technicians, and dental material manufacturers. In addition to the excellent mechanical properties and esthetics of zirconia, metal zirconia prostheses have been available for more than a decade, with enhanced adhesion possible through the use of metal zirconia primer.
Zirconia, a material, is gaining increased attention among dentists, dental technicians, and dental material manufacturers. In addition to the excellent mechanical properties and esthetics of zirconia, zirconia prostheses have been available for more than a decade. In the dental field, zirconia has been used as a material for crowns, bridges, and implant abutment prostheses. It was reported that approximately 90% of implant-supported crown restorations are performed on zirconia implant abutment prostheses. In the future, the demand for zirconia prostheses is likely to increase, and their oxide-type bonding states may be converted into metal-type bonds, similar to those found in gold and titanium prosthetics. This development strengthens the case for metal zirconia as a cutting-edge restorative material in modern dentistry.
Is Zirconia Metal or Ceramic?
Compared with traditionally used materials such as alumina ceramics and resin, zirconia ceramics have received special attention for their superior mechanical properties and effective diffusion or shielding of light. This duality in performance characteristics has fueled the discussion around whether zirconia is metal or ceramic, often presented in debates as zirconia metal or ceramic. Its unique properties give it the versatility to bridge the gap between traditional ceramics and metals, which is particularly valuable in prosthodontics and implantology.
Porcelain Fused to Metal vs Zirconia
Dental zirconia prostheses typically undergo surface modification through sandblasting, followed by the application of a thin opaque glaze to mask the natural whiteness of the zirconia blank. These procedures are essential for optimal adhesive bonding and long-term retention. In clinical practice, this has led to ongoing comparisons such as porcelain fused to metal vs zirconia, with zirconia emerging as a preferred choice due to its superior esthetics, non-reactivity, and higher fracture toughness—especially in the anterior aesthetic zone where appearance is a priority.
Metal Porcelain vs Zirconia
Wood, a non-metal and non-ceramic material, has been successfully metallized using advanced techniques like sputtering and evaporation. In similar fashion, metals can be layered onto or combined with ceramics like zirconia to improve performance. The sputtered gold film was notably ductile, surviving over 300 bending cycles, unlike the evaporated film, which failed under stress. These findings underscore the importance of proper bonding and highlight the advantages of advanced materials like metal zirconia in various applications. When it comes to restorative dentistry, the metal porcelain vs zirconia debate continues, with zirconia often outperforming metal-ceramic crowns in durability, patient satisfaction, and biocompatibility.
What Applications Does metal zirconia Have?
Due to its relevant properties like corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, metal zirconia exhibits a wide range of applications in ceramics, optics, electronics, and sensor technology. It is used as an advanced ceramic material in high-end applications such as biomaterials, fuel cells, and catalysts. Zirconia ceramic is widely utilized in medical, dental, automotive, and steel industries. Many techniques are employed to develop zirconia-based advanced ceramics. Most studies focus on the combination of ZrO₂ with other materials and metals. These composites display unique properties due to the synergistic effect of their components, leading to extensive industrial applications.
Metal Zirconia in Dental and Medical Applications
The biocompatibility, low density, and high resistance to thermal shock and wear make metal zirconia a preferred material for dental crowns. However, despite its advantages, it has some limitations, such as uncontrolled expansion during sintering, which compromises mechanical strength. This challenge has led to significant research focused on improving the densification process to prevent cracking during manufacturing.
Agenesis of a single tooth is one of the most common congenital anomalies in permanent dentition, particularly affecting the canines. Replacing missing teeth typically involves implant-supported crowns made from titanium, gold alloys, ceramo-metal, full gold, or zirconia. With newer developments, Co-Cr alloys have also been introduced for metallic crowns. Additionally, pressed all-ceramic crowns have gained popularity for their aesthetic advantages. As a future trend, metal ceramic and zirconia crowns are expected to be veneered with resinous composites to conceal the metal base and improve appearance.
Comparing Crown Materials: Aesthetic and Functional Perspectives
These evolving techniques and material preferences have sparked comparisons such as porcelain fused to metal crown vs zirconia, where zirconia often leads due to its natural look and superior tissue compatibility. Dentists also weigh the pros and cons of metal porcelain vs zirconia and metal ceramic crown vs zirconia, evaluating factors like strength, esthetics, longevity, and patient preference.
Industrial Use of Zirconia: Strength Beyond Dentistry
In industrial environments, harsh conditions such as extreme temperatures, pressure, humidity, stress, corrosive media, and aging are frequently encountered. Zirconia has proven useful in applications like hydrometers, oil refraction probes, and pressure and temperature sensors due to its high resistance to thermal shocks, pressure variations, electrical insulation, and chemical durability. In addition to the oxide layers on corrosion-resistant metals, conductive ceramic coatings are essential for shielding sensitive electronic components.
To enhance performance, multi-micrometer-thick coatings are often applied. Composite layers of M18Zr₂O₇ perovskite and Al₂O₃ or ZrO₂ thin films on steel substrates have been widely studied to boost hardness, thermal resistance, and anti-corrosive properties. These coatings, requiring only standard metal processing techniques and offering cost-efficiency, are among the most widely used in various industrial sectors, further demonstrating the value of metal zirconia in both medical and engineering fields.
What Are Zirconium’s Safety and Environmental Effects ?
The most abundant sources of zirconium are detrital deposits of zirconium silicate, which may contain some ZrO₂. Zirconia is currently produced from igneous and metamorphic deposits of zircon, which are relatively low maintenance and operate at about 1200 °C. Most importantly, zirconia reacts with many minerals, such as caustic soda, potash, or lithium salts to form sodium, potassium, or lithium zirconate and silicate. This “roasting” step is essential for the production of zirconia from zircon ores due to the high melting point of zirconoy and its resistance to attack by many mineral acids.
Zirconia in Medical and Industrial Use
Zirconia has been employed in various clinical applications since the late 1980s and has become an accepted alternative to alumina, PMMA, and metals in the biomedical field—especially in dental prosthetics and implants. Its applications are supported by a strong and expanding patent portfolio that covers many aspects of the production, manufacture, and compositional formulation for both pure and doped zirconia ceramics. Advanced shaping, coating, gluing, and sintering techniques enhance performance and durability. The zirconia ceramic properties—such as high strength, fracture resistance, and biocompatibility—provide assurance of safety and long-term reliability.
Zirconia has gained prominence as the most used ceramic, particularly as an alternative to orthopedic replacement hips traditionally made from titanium alloys and alumina. This is a key topic in the ongoing debate comparing metal vs PFM vs zirconia, especially in the context of dental and joint prosthetics. The question “is zirconia a metal or ceramic?” arises often, as zirconia blends mechanical toughness with ceramic aesthetics and chemical inertness.
Emerging Applications of Zirconia
Examples of emerging applications include intracochlear electrodes for the deaf, standard guide pins for blood typing, ultrasonic transducer materials, and intelligent fire and smoke detectors. Additionally, electrode and sensor applications benefit from the electrical conductivity of zirconia at high temperatures. This versatility highlights the expanding range of zirconium uses, extending beyond traditional ceramics into advanced medical and electronic devices.
Furthermore, cubic zirconia, a synthetic gemstone form of zirconia, demonstrates the material’s optical properties and clarity—although it serves a very different function from biomedical zirconia. As the demand for high-performance zirconia ceramics and devices increases, modest producers are being challenged by the high cost of zirconium and limited small-scale production. Nonetheless, the exploration of industrial capacity for advanced zirconia devices continues, reinforcing the strategic importance of developing scalable production technologies and reducing material costs.
What Types of metal zirconia Are There ?
Zirconia materials are commonly employed in dental applications due to their excellent mechanical properties, especially when used as restorations. However, other biomedical applications demand and expect long-term stability and durability. In this review, zirconia materials are classified according to their composition and, therefore, the properties they present based on data available in the literature. Restoring occlusal and incisal functions in the posterior region with materials able to withstand masticatory and parafunctional loads is a challenge. One alternative material that has raised considerable interest and is able to meet this demand is zirconia ceramic (ZrO₂).
Indeed, several studies have investigated zirconia as a core material for all-ceramic prostheses, and a growing number of claims and patents are available (B. Benalcázar-Jalkh et al., 2023). Metal zirconia is especially favored in dental prosthodontics due to its high fracture resistance, biocompatibility, and strength when paired with esthetic ceramic layering. Zirconia has a four-fold decrease in flexural strength (1440 MPa) when comparing fully sintered to presintered conditions, although natural quasi-vitreous ceramics are bleached at around 700 ºC, in contrast with zirconia, whose final sintering requires temperatures above 1500 ºC (E. Daou, 2014).
• Zirconium Facts and Composite Benefits
Zirconia possesses a positive match of thermal expansion with silicate glasses and has been successfully used in a glass-infiltrated composite material. For posterior crowns, a zirconia layer can be overlaid with a glass-infiltrated material. As the use of zirconia-based ceramics increases in modern dentistry, it is important to understand both their mechanical and optical properties. The commercial terms used by manufacturers can often blur distinctions, but material performance is tightly linked to its composition and processing.
A common question raised in clinical and academic settings is: Is zirconia a metal? While zirconia originates from zirconium, a metal, the final ceramic form used in dentistry is non-metallic—this leads to confusion and ongoing debates in material classification. Some also compare zirconia stone, often used in jewelry, to its biomedical counterpart, but these serve entirely different purposes.
In prosthodontics, it’s essential to distinguish the difference between metal ceramic and zirconia restorations. While metal ceramic and zirconia crowns may appear similar in function, their structural, optical, and processing characteristics differ significantly. Zirconia is generally preferred for its superior aesthetics and lack of a metallic substructure, whereas metal-ceramic crowns still maintain relevance for their cost-effectiveness and long-term success in high-load regions.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of metal zirconia
Zirconia is a strong, white-silver metal of a particular category produced by purified zircon. The mineral zircon is a naturally mined silicate of zirconium, a common gem material that, like diamond, can contribute to the blue tint in some sapphires. However, zirconia produced artificially has begun to attract significant attention, as it can be synthesized in very pure form and shaped into virtually any design. It is readily oxidized and can be manufactured in volumetric patterns to suit a wide variety of surgical appliances. Opsite is a trade name for a very porous substrate material onto which the soldering pattern can be waxed or built with a resin. Flowation ceramic materials can be transferred directly to the mouth from dies, usually made of resin systems with metallic powder induction-moulded onto them.
There is some controversy regarding the use of older systems for restorations subjected to heavy occlusal loads. High-density titanium castings, while strong, may still be prone to fracture, and high-precision casting techniques do not always provide the strength found in more robust systems. Grindable zirconia, or lithe, which hardens through reaction with steam or water vapor, shows promise for precision inlays, crowns, and partial denture frameworks.
• Metal Ceramic vs Zirconia: Aesthetic and Functional Debate
Metal-ceramic restorations have long been a successful solution in dentistry, with strong, biocompatible metallic frameworks providing support for veneered porcelain. However, the evolution toward full acceptance of these systems was gradual. Concerns about biocompatibility, esthetic limitations, and the optical opacity of the metal substructure led to a slower clinical adoption. These concerns have led to the ongoing comparison of metal ceramic vs zirconia restorations.
The introduction of zirconia, with mechanical properties comparable to metals, sparked significant interest. Nevertheless, early all-ceramic systems were difficult to manipulate clinically and were prone to fractures. This limited their initial adoption despite their superior esthetics. But with technological advancements and enhanced material strength, zirconia restorations have become more viable and widely accepted in recent years.
The question Is zirconia a metal or ceramic? remains common. Zirconia originates from zirconium, a metal, but in its final form for dental use, it is a ceramic—this hybrid identity fuels debate and sometimes confusion in classification. Similarly, patients often ask, Are zirconia implants metal?, especially those concerned with allergies or MRI compatibility. While derived from a metal, the implant is composed of a ceramic structure that is non-conductive and bioinert, offering an appealing alternative to traditional titanium.
In conclusion, zirconia continues to gain prominence in dentistry due to its strength, biocompatibility, and aesthetic appeal. As innovations in materials and manufacturing advance, zirconia proves to be a reliable alternative to traditional metal restorations. Whether you’re considering Zirconium Dental Implants for single teeth or full-arch solutions like All on 4 Dental Implants Zirconia, it’s important to evaluate long-term results, safety, and cost. You can explore details about Zirconium Dental Implants Cost and understand Zirconium Dental Implants Side Effects before deciding. For those questioning the material’s safety, this guide on Are Zirconia Implants Safe provides expert insight. Learn more about advanced combinations like Titanium Zirconia and leading Zirconia Implant Manufacturers shaping the future of dental care.
Is zirconia a metal?
For far too long, zirconia has been mistakenly categorized as a metal due to its metallic appearance and durability. However, zirconia is, in fact, a type of ceramic material. It is a crystalline oxide of the metal zirconium (ZrO2) and is highly prized for its exceptional strength, aesthetics, and biocompatibility.
Which is better, metal, ceramic, or zirconia?
Metal ceramic crowns are made of porcelain fused onto a metal base. Strength: Although both the types are strong enough to be placed in any area in the mouth, Zirconia Solid has more strength when compared to PFM. Zirconia is recommended for patients who have grinding problems due to its incomparable strength.
What is cubic zirconia metal?
Cubic zirconia (abbreviated CZ) is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). The synthesized material is hard and usually colorless, but may be made in a variety of different colors. It should not be confused with zircon, which is a zirconium silicate (ZrSiO4).
Is zirconium metal safe?
Although handling zirconium in its solid form is generally considered harmless, breathing in the dust and fumes created during processing and manufacture can be dangerous. Zirconium can also be a fire hazard if it comes into touch with some flammable substances.
Kimura, T., Aoyagi, Y., Taka, N., Kanatani, M., and Uoshima, K. “Metallization by Sputtering to Improve the Bond Strength between Zirconia Ceramics and Resin Cements.” 2021. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
E. Daou, E. “The Zirconia Ceramic: Strengths and Weaknesses.” 2014. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
M. Bannunah, A. “Biomedical Applications of Zirconia-Based Nanomaterials: Challenges and Future Perspectives.” 2023. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
B. Benalcázar-Jalkh, E., T. P. Bergamo, E., M. B. Campos, T., G. Coelho, P., Sailer, I., Yamaguchi, S., M. M. Alves, L., Witek, L., M. Tebcherani, S., and A. Bonfante, E. “A Narrative Review on Polycrystalline Ceramics for Dental Applications and Proposed Update of a Classification System.” 2023. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Alberto Jurado, C., Villalobos‐Tinoco, J., Watanabe, H., Sanchez‐Hernandez, R., and Tsujimoto, A. “Novel translucent monolithic zirconia fixed restorations in the esthetic zone.” 2022. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
