Sintering
Pronunciation: SIN-ter-ing
A high-temperature thermal process used to densify and fully crystallise pre-sintered ceramic blanks—particularly zirconia—resulting in final mechanical strength and dimensional accuracy.
Full Definition
In dental technology, sintering refers to the firing of pre-sintered (green-state or partially sintered) ceramic blocks, most commonly yttria-stabilised tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP), in a high-temperature furnace (1,400–1,600 °C) to achieve full density, translucency, and target mechanical properties. Because the workpiece shrinks predictably (typically 20–25%) during sintering, CAD/CAM designs must compensate for this shrinkage by enlarging the milled intermediate form. Incomplete or inappropriately rapid sintering produces internal porosity that degrades strength. Editors should not confuse sintering with porcelain firing/glazing, which is a separate, lower-temperature process applied to already-sintered substructures.
Usage
Usage note: Do not use 'sintering' to describe porcelain build-up firing or glazing; those are distinct thermal processes. When editing zirconia manuscripts, verify that sintering temperature and dwell time are reported.
In Context
- "Following CAD/CAM milling of the pre-sintered zirconia block, the framework was subjected to sintering at 1,530 °C for two hours." — Dental laboratory technical report
- "High-speed sintering protocols were evaluated as a means of reducing chair-side turnaround time for monolithic zirconia crowns." — Dental materials science journal