Shaded zirconia ceramics

A method of making a dental material comprising:

• providing a Ce-TZP powder having a primary particle size between 5 and 50 nm;
• combining the Ce-TZP powder with one or more coloring agents to produce a coated Ce-TZP powder;
• pressing the treated powder into a shaped body;
• sintering the pressed body in a microwave furnace;
• wherein the sintered body has a flexural biaxial strength equal to or greater than about 1000 MPa when sintered to at least 98% of its theoretical density.

A method of making a dental material comprising:

• providing a Ce-TZP powder having up to 1 wt.-% Al2O3;
• combining the Ce-TZP powder with one or more coloring agents to produce a coated Ce-TZP powder;
• pressing the treated powder into a shaped body;
• subjecting the shaped body to one or more heating cycles;
• and
• optionally sintering the shaped body;
• wherein the shaped body has a fracture toughness equal to or greater than about 19.0 MPa·m0.5 when sintered to at least 98% theoretical density.

A method of making a dental material comprising:

• providing a Ce-TZP powder having up to 1 wt.-% Al2O3;
• combining the Ce-TZP powder with one or more coloring agents to produce a coated Ce-TZP powder;
• pressing the treated powder into a shaped body;
• sintering the pressed body in a microwave furnace;
• wherein the sintered body has a flexural biaxial strength equal to or greater than about 1000 MPa when sintered to at least 98% of its theoretical density.