Flexural Strength of a Glass-Infiltrated Alumina Dental Ceramic Incorporated with Silicon Carbide Whiskers

Purpose: The addition of silicon carbide whiskers has been known to reinforce ceramics. This study compared the flexural strength of a glass-infiltrated alumina dental ceramic with various amounts of silicon carbide whiskers incorporated into the alumina matrix. Materials and Methods: Three groups with a total of 30 specimens were included: glass-infiltrated alumina dental ceramic with 0, 0.125, and 0.25 wt% silicon carbide whiskers. The flexural strength was measured using a three-point bending test, and the data were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the fracture surfaces of all three materials. Results: There were no significant differences in the flexural strength among the three groups. Glass-infiltrated alumina dental ceramic failed predominantly by transgranular fracture and to a lesser degree by intergranular fracture. Conclusion: The addition of silicon carbide whiskers did not change the flexural strength of glass-infiltrated alumina dental ceramic.