Mechanical and biological properties of zirconia crowns prepared by digital light processing

Abstract Zirconia (ZrO 2 ) ceramics have been extensively used for dental restorations, but the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of three‐dimensional (3D)‐printed zirconia materials have not been thoroughly validated yet. In this study, we employed digital light processing (DLP) technology to fabricate zirconia ceramic crowns. The variation in sintering temperature resulted in alterations in phase composition and microstructure. The ceramics exhibited high average relative density, compressive strength, and Vickers hardness values at 1500°C (97.33%, 1812.61 MPa, and 12.55 GPa, respectively). Meanwhile, the zirconia ceramics sintered at 1500°C showed a maximum flexural strength of 411.33 MPa. In addition, the DLP‐printed zirconia materials demonstrated satisfactory biocompatibility, with a cell viability of 93.35% after 7 days. No significant inflammatory response or cell deformation was detected ( p = .51). The ceramics had no adverse effect on cell adhesion or growth at the initial stages. The results indicate that DLP technology‐fabricated zirconia crowns have favorable mechanical properties and biocompatibility.