Supporting data for “Aspects of UV-C Irradiation on Dental Zirconia”
Among dental restorative materials, zirconia has emerged as one of the most extensively researched materials due to its exceptional mechanical, biological, chemical, and aesthetic properties. However, as an aesthetic material, the inherent white and opaque nature of zirconia cannot replicate the natural tooth colours, and addition of stains or dyes has become a standard procedure in fabricating zirconia prostheses. In the meanwhile, with the rising aesthetic demands, the need for customised manual characterisation has grown, but this process remains time-consuming and labour- intensive.
Human beings benefit from UV, an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths ranging from 10 nm to 400 nm, in many aspects. In dentistry, UV has diverse applications in many aspects. The colouration of dental zirconia was noticed when UV-C lights were employed for disinfection and surface modification of zirconia, suggesting a potential method for modifying the colour of zirconia. This discovery served as the foundation for this project.
Four studies were subsequently conducted attempting to explore a novel approach to colour dental zirconia in a simple, safe, and efficient manner. The first study presented the feasibility of 222 nm UV-C in printing colours on 3Y-TZP, uncovering the correlation between irradiation time and colour difference, as well as the auto-recovery of the colouration and its correlation with testing points. The second study focused on UV-C colour printing on high-translucent zirconia (5Y-PSZ). The third study determined the influences of surface profiles on UV-C colour printing. The last study intended to investigate the influences of environmental temperature on UV-C colour printing.
Ultimately, the capability of 222 nm UV-C photons in printing colours on zirconia, its underlying mechanism, and the associated influencing factors were comprehensively understood.
This dataset includes the results of optical, mechanical, biological, and physical properties of the UV-treated and untreated dental zirconia.
