Fast-setting and high fracture toughness Ce-TZP/tricalcium silicate composite dental cement

For dental materials, a certain defect tolerance would be beneficial. Some Ceria-stabilized zirconia (Ce-TZP) composites are promising dental repair materials, as they have been shown to exhibit an obvious amount of transformation-induced plasticity with almost no dispersion in strength data. The purpose of this study was to design a novel tricalcium silicate (C₃S)-based dental repair material by adding 10 mol.% Ce-TZP to improve fracture toughness and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (K₂HPO₄) as the setting accelerator. The study evaluated the physicochemical properties, in vitro cell activity, and antibacterial activity of Ce-TZP/C₃S composite cement, and the results revealed that Ce-TZP/C₃S cement showed a fast-setting ability and good washout resistance when the setting time was controlled within 26–43 min. With increasing Ce-TZP content, the mechanical properties, especially the flexural strength and fracture toughness, were gradually enhanced. Additionally, the 30% Ce-TZP/C₃S composite showed good antibacterial activity and in vitro cytocompatibility. The study concluded that 30% Ce-TZP/C₃S composites could be regarded as ideal candidates in the field of dental materials due to their excellent physical and chemical properties, antimicrobial activity, in vitro cytocompatibility, outstanding fracture toughness and fast-setting ability.