Biomaterial
MABB is a leader in the manufacturing of Zirconia Yttria implants.
Innovation in Biomaterials
What is Zirconia?
Zirconia or Zirconium Dioxide (ZrO2) is an element obtained from a mineral called “baddeleyite sand” that contains 99% ZrO2 and 1% silica (SiO2). The main sources of the mineral baddeleyite are located in South Africa, Russia and Brazil.
To obtain pure Zirconia, plasma arc calcination is carried out at 15,000ºC, separating the Zirconia from the silica, obtaining a purity of 99.99% ZrO2.
Then this Zirconia is stabilized by adding Ytttrium Oxide to its structure. This is how Zirconia Y-TZP (Yttrium-stabilized tetragonal polycrystalline Zirconia) is obtained, which is a pure white powder with a grain size of up to 0.4 microns.
The Zirconia used in the manufacture of the Z7 abutments is under the ISO 13356 standard, which standardizes this material for exclusive use in implantology, ensuring the biocompatibility and mechanical resistance necessary in the application of the dental technique.
The pieces are pressed or injected (this is the case of MABB), and then they are sintered (heated) in a controlled atmosphere oven at 1800ºC, thus reinforcing the bonds between the particles and obtaining an extremely hard but at the same time tough solid, without fragility. In this way, ceramic pieces with a very high level of precision and surface finish are obtained.
Due to its intrinsic advantages, for aesthetic aspects (due to its whiteness and light transmittance) and health aspects (it does not release ions into the physiological environment), Zirconia complements or replaces the use of Titanium in more and more surgical applications.
Technical property references:
| Properties | Titanio | Zirconia |
| Hardness | 215 Vickers | 1200 Vickers (*) |
| Tensile strength | 3450 kg/cm2 | 6000 kg/cm2 |
| Density | 4,5 kg/dm3 | 6,0 kg/dm3 |
| Melting point | 1670ºC | 2700ºC |
| Rejection Percentage | 3,5 a 4% | 1,5 a 2% |
| Color | Dark Gray | White |
| Light Transmittance | No | Si |
| Ion Release | Si | No |
| Rugosity | 0,006 Microns | 0,090 Microns (**) |
(*) Less hard than diamond and harder than glass.
(**) 15 times rougher.
