Critical Reviews in Oral Biology & Medicine, Vol 7, 134-143, Copyright © 1996 by International & American Associations for Dental Research
Recent advances in ceramics for dentistry
I. L. Deany
Ohio State University, College of Dentistry, Section of Restorative, Prosthodontics, and Endodontics, Columbus 43210-1241, USA.
For the last ten years, the application of high-technology processes to
dental ceramics allowed for the development of new materials such as
heat-pressed, injection-molded, and slip-cast ceramics and glass-ceramics.
The purpose of the present paper is to review advances in new materials and
processes available for making all-ceramic dental restorations. Concepts on
the structure and strengthening mechanisms of dental ceramics are provided.
Major developments in materials for all-ceramic restorations are addressed.
These advances include improved processing techniques and greater
mechanical properties. An overview of the processing techniques available
for all-ceramic materials is given, including sintering, casting,
machining, slip-casting, and heat-pressing. The most recent ceramic
materials are reviewed with respect to their principal crystalline phases,
including leucite, alumina, forsterite, zirconia, mica, hydroxyapatite,
lithium disilicate, sanidine, and spinel. Finally, a summary of flexural
strength data available for all-ceramic materials is included.
