Evaluation of the shear bond strength of dental porcelain and the low magnetic susceptibility Zr–14Nb alloy

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the bond strength of dental porcelain and the preheated Zr–14Nb alloy, and compare this strength with that of titanium. White oxide layers, which were predominantly composed of monoclinic zirconia, were formed on the preheated sample groups, and exhibited a greater roughness than the control samples. At the metal–ceramic interface, a greater Nb diffusion range was observed than in the control samples. The bond strengths of the samples subjected to 20 min preheating treatment were the lowest (33.6±3.2 MPa), which may be ascribed to the formation of a brittle thick oxide layer under excessive heat treatment. The samples subjected to this heat treatment for 5 min exhibited the highest mean bond strength (43.7±5.9 MPa), which was significantly higher than that of titanium (35.3±3.5 MPa). Thus, the Zr–14Nb alloy is a promising candidate for fixed dental prosthesis, as long as the appropriate treatment conditions are adopted.