Dental Ceramics: Types, Applications, and Advantages

Dental Ceramics

Dental ceramic is the generalized term for a product which is made from non-metallic inorganic material which is processed by firing at high temperature, while porcelain is the restrictive term used for mixture of kaolin, quart,z and feldspar which is when fied at high temperatures produces glassy, translucent fiish.

Dental porcelain is used for metal ceramic restorations and dental ceramics is used for all ceramic restorations Dental ceramic is defined as compounds of one or more metals with non-metallic element usually oxygen. They are formed of chemical and biochemical stable substances that are strong, hard, britte, and inert non-conductors of thermal and electrical energy.

Read And Learn More: Dental Materials Question And Answers

Classification of Dental Ceramic/Porcelain:

1. According to Firing Temperature:
   • High-fusing: 1300°C for denture teeth
   • Medium-fusing: 1001° to 1300°C for denture teeth
   • Low-fusing: 850 to 1100°C for denture teeth.
   • Ultra-low-fusing: Less than 850°C used with titanium.
2. According to Type:
   • Feldspathic porcelains
   • Leucite-reinforced glass ceramics
   • Tetrasilicic flormica based glass ceramics
   • Lithia disilicate based ceramics
   • Alumina-reinforced ceramics
   • Spinell-reinforced ceramics
   • Zirconia-reinforced ceramics.
3. According to its Function Within Restoration:
   • Core ceramics: Supports and reinforces restoration
   • Opaque ceramics: Mask or hide the metal.
   • Veneering ceramics:
     • Body or dentin: Simulates the dentine portion of natural teeth
     • Incisal: Simulates enamel portion of natural teeth
     • Gingival: Simulates the darker gingival portion of teeth
     • Translucent: Simulates translucent incisal enamel seen sometimes in natural teeth
     • Stains: Colored ceramic improves esthetics
     • Glaze: Imparts a smooth glossy surface to the restoration.

1. According to Microstructure:
   • Glass-ceramics
   • Crystalline ceramics
   • Crystal-containing glasses.
2. According to Fabrication Process:
   • Condensable ceramics
   • Slip-cast glass-infiltrated ceramics
   • Heat pressed ceramics
   • Machinable ceramics
   • Various combinations of the above.

Clinical Applications of Dental Ceramic/Porcelain:

• Inlays and onlays.
• Aesthetic lamination (veneers) over natural teeth.
• Single (all ceramic) crown.
• Short span (all ceramic) bridge.
• As veneer for cast metal crown and bridge (metal ceramic).
• Artificial denture teeth (for complete denture and partial denture use).
• Ceramic orthodontic brackets.
• As intraradicular post in post-endodontic restorations.
• As biomaterial in the form of dental implant

Composition of Dental Ceramic/Porcelain:

Advantages of Dental Ceramics /Porcelain:

• Dental ceramics remain stable for the longer time period.
• They have excellent biocompatibility.
• They are resistant to corrosion.
• They do not interact with liquid, acid, alkalis, and gases in an oral environment.
• After glazing, it provides a smooth surface and increases the fracture resistance.
• Their compressive strength is excellent.
• They surpass all dental materials in mimicking natural tooth structure in both color and translucency.

Disadvantages of Dental Ceramics/Porcelain:

• They have low tensile strength, which makes them brittle.
• As ceramics are hard, they tend to abrade opposite enamel at the time of occlusal contact.
• During the cooling of fired ceramic sometimes microcracks occur on surface of ceramic which enhances the surface roughness. This decreases the strength.