Influence of Polishing and Glazing on Surface Characteristics and Biofilm Formation on Zirconia: An In Vitro Study.

: Monolithic zirconia has attracted considerable interest in dentistry due to its favorable physical and mechanical properties, making it a promising alternative for crown fabrication. Nonetheless, a standardized finishing protocol for this material has yet to be established. : This study aimed to evaluate the surface characteristics and in vitro biofilm formation of zirconia finished by either polishing or glazing. : A total of 72 zirconia specimens were fabricated and divided into control, glazing, and polishing groups. Surface analysis included roughness, wettability, and surface free energy. Microbiological analysis included CFU (colony-forming units per mL) counts, microbial adhesion at 2, 4, 6, and 8 h, biofilm biovolume, and qualitative biofilm assessment via scanning electron microscopy (sEm). : The glazing group showed significantly greater roughness than the polishing ( = 0.006) and control ( = 0.016) groups, along with a lower contact angle (polishing- = 0.002; control- < 0.001) and higher surface energy (polishing- = 0.005; control- < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in CFU counts for the tested microorganisms (, = 0.158; , = 0.610; , = 0.904). Regarding microbial adhesion, the polishing group showed a smaller biofilm-covered area compared to the control group for both total biofilm ( = 0.008) and viable biofilm ( = 0.005). no statistically significant difference was observed in biofilm biovolume ( = 0.082). : These findings suggest that, despite the surface differences among the groups, biofilm formation was not significantly affected.