Exploring the Effect of In Vitro Aging Protocols on the Optical Properties and Crystalline Structure of High-Translucency (HT) Zirconia Used in Dentistry: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Zirconia crowns are capping materials used in dentistry for tooth capping and are very popular due to their optical properties and natural-looking visuals. In vitro aging protocols measure zirconia’s optical properties, which are vital in order for it to look natural. This study aims to conduct a systematic review to explore the effect of in vitro aging protocols on the optical properties and crystalline structure of high-translucency (HT) zirconia. A correlation matrix was obtained using Microsoft Excel, which was later transferred into SPSS for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and hierarchal clustering and to obtain a dendrogram in order to display the distribution of clusters for each key term relevant to the study. Further, for qualitative analysis, 17 studies were screened and reviewed. The result demonstrates that high translucency has been observed in the crystalline structure of zirconia capping. However, quantitative and qualitative results did not demonstrate the in vitro protocol; instead, neglect of the in vitro protocol’s vitality in zirconia crown capping was alarming. Overall, zirconia has good optical properties when combined with catalysts such as aluminum and lithium to obtain a more sustainable crystalline structure.