Fatigue lifetime of surface treated specimens can be improved, which can be performed by either by shot peening, sandblasting or laser treatment. These treatments were selectively performed on some of the oxides, carbides or nitrides. Some of the technics applied in surface protection of ceramics are: plasma spraying, chemical vapor deposition, i.e., CVD, physical vapor deposition-PVD, ion implantation and laser treatment. Further, in laser treatment local melting occurs which flow and fill pores and cracks. This process effectively seals porous material and enables their use in vacuum. Shot peening was applied to PSZ, Si 3 N 4 /SiC composite and sandblasting was applied to alumina and yttria stabilized zirconia, while laser treatments was used for alumina, YSZ, SiC, Si 3 N 4 and Si 3 N 4 /SiC composite. Compressive residual stress is generated by these treatments with the consequent improvement of the properties.