Dental Ceramics
- Feldspathic porcelain — most esthetic but weakest; used for veneering.
- Leucite-reinforced — e.g., IPS Empress; improved strength with good esthetics.
- Lithium disilicate — IPS e.max; strong and esthetic, very popular for crowns/veneers.
- Zirconia — the strongest dental ceramic (high flexural strength/toughness) but more opaque; used for high-load and full-contour crowns/bridges.
Fabrication
CAD-CAM milling (and pressing/layering) allows precise, efficient ceramic restorations. Bonding protocols differ (HF etch + silane for glass ceramics; specific primers for zirconia).
Exam Tips ⭐
Feldspathic = most esthetic/weakest; lithium disilicate (e.max) = popular; zirconia = strongest, more opaque.