Bioceramics and their application for dental restoration

Abstract

This review article covers the historical development of ceramics, from the beginnings to the present. Feldspar based ceramic biomaterials for veneering metal frameworks, which are based on the jacket porcelain crown, have firmly established themselves in restorative dentistry since the 1970s. Currently, the development of restorative dental materials that can be used to replace metal represents a major challenge. As a result, this review will focus on the latest materials in this field. These materials include glass ceramics as well as high performance sintered ceramics. Glass ceramics exhibit more favourable optical properties, such as translucency and colour, compared with high performance ceramics, while the latter demonstrate high flexural strength and toughness. Both groups of materials have specialised applications in restorative dentistry and are capable of covering all the indications of dental restorations. The two types of materials, that is, glass ceramics and ceramics, have to be processed in accordance with their properties. As a result, the processing techniques, such as moulding, sintering and machining, will be discussed in detail in addition to the properties of the materials. Additional development possibilities for the materials will be presented on the basis of customer/patient needs and the successful long term use of glass ceramics and ceramics. In this context, it is clear that high performance ceramics and layered composites (consisting of high performance ceramics veneered with glass ceramics) offer the best possible solution for indications in the posterior region of the mouth. In contrast, glass ceramics are used to fabricate inlays and onlays for all parts of the jaw. In addition, glass ceramics can be used to fabricate crowns and small bridges to replace anterior dentition.