Glass-ceramics are advanced ceramic materials with unique optical and mechanical properties, making them highly suitable for aesthetic dental restorations. Thanks to their translucency, natural appearance, and excellent machinability, glass-ceramics are widely used in CAD/CAM dentistry for fabricating crowns, veneers, inlays, onlays, and anterior restorations.
Glass-ceramics are partially crystallized materials formed through controlled crystallization of certain glasses. In dentistry, they are engineered to mimic the optical properties of natural tooth enamel while maintaining adequate strength for clinical applications. Popular types include:
• Lithium disilicate glass-ceramics (e.g., IPS e.max CAD)
• Leucite-reinforced glass-ceramics
• Zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (ZLS)
• High translucency for aesthetic results
• Good mechanical strength
• Excellent bonding capabilities
• Easy to machine with CAD/CAM systems
• High edge stability for fine margins
Glass-ceramics are mainly used for single-tooth restorations and cases where esthetics are a top priority:
• Crowns (especially anterior)
• Veneers
• Inlays and onlays
• Implant crowns
• Minimally invasive restorations
Glass-ceramic blocks are specifically designed for use in digital dental workflows, milled with high precision in CAD/CAM dental milling machines. After milling, the restorations often undergo a crystallization or sintering process to achieve full strength and translucency.
1. Pre-crystallized blocks: These require post-milling heat treatment (e.g., IPS e.max CAD).
2. Fully crystallized blocks: Used for chairside systems with no firing step (e.g., Celtra Duo).
3. Hybrid ceramics: Combine ceramic with polymers for improved resilience and ease of milling.
• Superior Aesthetics: High translucency mimics natural tooth enamel.
• Easy Machinability: Low wear on tools and fast milling times.
• Reliable Adhesion: Excellent bond strength with resin cements.
• Efficient Workflow: Compatible with both chairside and lab-based systems.
• Fine Detailing: Enables precise margins and natural contours.
• Faster Crystallization Furnaces: Reducing turnaround time for same-day restorations
• Improved Strength-to-Translucency Balance: For posterior use without sacrificing esthetics.
• Integration with AI-Based CAD Design: Enhancing digital smile design and occlusion prediction.
• New Material Composites: Hybrid materials with better elasticity and wear resistance.
Glass-ceramics have established themselves as a key material in esthetic restorative dentistry, offering an ideal balance between natural appearance, ease of processing, and clinical reliability. With their compatibility with CAD/CAM dental milling machines, glass-ceramics enable efficient workflows and predictable results. As digital dentistry continues to evolve, glass-ceramics will remain central to high-quality, patient-specific dental solutions.