Background: In order to make zirconia a chair-side option, it was essential to reduce the sintering time without altering the material's physico-mechanical properties.
The aim of the study: This study aims to evaluate the effect of speed and super-speed sintering compared to conventional sintering on monolithic zirconia, regarding the translucency and biaxial flexure strength.
Materials and methods: Forty-five 15 mm x 1.5 mm Y-TZP zirconia discs were fabricated and divided into three groups (n=15) according to sintering time; group SS: super-speed sintering, group S: speed sintering and group CV: conventional long-term sintering. The specimens were tested for any changes in translucency, then subjected to a biaxial flexure strength test.
Results: Conventional, speed and superspeed sintering revealed no significant difference in the biaxial flexure strength of the zirconia discs. However, super-speed sintering produced the least translucent specimen followed by conventional sintering, and speed sintering gave the best results.
Conclusion: Zirconia can be used as a chairside material using the superspeed sintering protocols for restoration in the non-aesthetic zone. Longer sintering protocols are essential to obtain highly translucent restorations.