Tl;dr:
Best for flexural strength: Monolith/BruxZir
Best for aesthetics: UniZirc
Zirconia has displaced PFM for most units fitted each year. Its huge success is built on the way manufacturers have adapted the composition to favour certain attributes, this also means there are a lot of different zirconia types out there to choose from!
Zirconia types are often listed as 3, 4 or 5Y, this is a reference to the Yttria content. Yttria Oxide is added to zirconia pucks to increase translucency but it has a knock-on effect of reducing strength. Higher Yttria = lower strength but better aesthetics.
To achieve the best results for our clients, we offer three types of full contour zirconia*:
BruxZir – 3Y, flexural strength >1000MPa
Designed especially for bruxists, BruxZir remains the premium go-to pick where strength is of the utmost concern. The material is ideal for posterior restorations as our technicians characterise it to easily blend in with natural dentition.
Monolith – 3Y, flexural strength >1100MPa
Launched in 2018 and milled from 1st Generation zirconia pucks, Monolith is comparable in strength to BruxZir. The simple block-shading and competitive pricing make Monolith a great choice for economy restorations.
UniZirc – 4Y, flexural strength 727MPa – 1000MPa
Uni-Zirc is a modern zirconia featuring inherent graduated translucency, its strength is comparable to BruxZir at the cervical edge and tapers down to 727MPa at the high translucency incisal edge. The translucency combines with extensive staining options making it suitable for premium anterior cases. Where neither bruxism nor excessive characterisation are concerned, Uni-Zirc is our default recommendation for premium crown & bridge.
All three Zirconia options are available from scan via our 1-week turnaround as standard with no model fees. Link your scanner & send us your first case today!
* We’ve missed ZirconArch out for this post as it’s technically not full contour due to its aesthetic porcelain overlay.