All Ceramic Systems Go

Ceramic systems are widely used to fabricate indirect restorations such as crowns and bridges. The goal of any ceramic system is to reproduce the strength and esthetics of natural teeth. Crowns and bridges can be produced using pressing or layering techniques depending on the ceramic system being used, and most ceramic systems are fabricated to feature the translucencies and shadings required to produce a highly esthetic veneer.

Many different types of ceramic systems have been introduced over the years for all types of indirect restorations, from no-preparation veneers to multiunit posterior fixed partial dentures.

Ceramics can be divided into several categories based on composition and processing technique. Composition categories include glass-based systems (mainly silica), glass-based systems with fillers, crystalline-based systems with glass fillers (mainly alumina), and polycrystalline solids (alumina and zirconia). There are also machine-pressable manufactured blocks and powder/liquid varieties.

Because different systems are designed to be used with specific substructures, it is important to select the proper system for the matching restoration. Here, we take a look at several ceramic systems on the market.