A dentist plans to adhesively bond an all-ceramic crown and wants to etch its intaglio surface with hydrofluoric acid. Which ceramic is most appropriate for this approach?

Explanations

• Glass-ceramics such as lithium disilicate contain a glassy phase that hydrofluoric acid dissolves selectively, creating a micromechanically retentive surface for silane and resin cement. Zirconia and densely sintered alumina have no glass phase, and glass-infiltrated alumina is too highly crystalline to be reliably etched, so hydrofluoric acid etching is not effective on them.

  Source: Rosenstiel, Land and Walter, Contemporary Fixed Prosthodontics — oneguy