Flexural strength and fracture toughness of two different lithium disilicate ceramics.

To test the impact of the pressing furnace on flexural strength and facture toughness of the lithium-disilicate-ceramics HS10PC (HS) and IPS e.max Press (IP). Three hundred and sixty specimens (3×4×30 mm) were pressed (n=180/ceramic) using different pressing furnaces, namely Austromat 654 Press-i-dent (AUS), Programat EP5000 (PRO), and Vario Press 300 (VAR). Three-point flexural strength (n=30) and fracture toughness (n=30) were measured. Flexural strength (336-360 MPa) was not affected by pressing furnace or ceramic and showed comparable values between all groups. Fracture toughness (2.65-2.81 MPa√m) provided higher values for HS pressed using AUS compared to specimens pressed in PRO and VAR. For IP, no impact of the pressing furnace on fracture toughness was found. IP presented higher fracture toughness than HS when pressed using PRO. No correlations were found. Both lithium disilicate ceramics showed comparable flexural strength regardless of the pressing furnace. Fracture toughness depended on the ceramic and on the pressing furnace.