Ceramics as biomaterials for dental restoration

Abstract

Sintered ceramics and glass–ceramics are widely used as biomaterials for dental restoration, especially as dental inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns or bridges. Biomaterials were developed either to veneer metal frameworks or to produce metal-free dental restorations. Different types of glass–ceramics and ceramics are available and necessary today to fulfill customers’ needs (patients, dentists and dental technicians) regarding the properties of the biomaterials and the processing of the products. All of these different types of biomaterials already cover the entire range of indications of dental restorations. Today, patients are increasingly interested in metal-free restoration. Glass–ceramics are particularly suitable for fabricating inlays, crowns and small bridges, as these materials achieve very strong, esthetic results. High-strength ceramics are preferred in situations where the material is exposed to high masticatory forces.

Keywords::

• biomaterials
• ceramics
• clinical applications
• dental restoration
• glass–ceramics
• metal-free materials
• optical properties
• strength
• toughness

Acknowledgement

Dedicated to Volker M Rheinberger on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors are all employed by Ivoclar Vivadent AG; an international supplier of systems for the dental practice and the dental laboratory. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this review manuscript.