Porcelain Materials

Abstract

At no time in recent history has the interest in esthetics, biological safety, and the relative cost and efficacy of dental care been greater. In view of porcelain's desirable esthetic properties and biocompatibility, it is understandable that the major emphasis in ceramics research has been directed toward an enhancement of the strength, longevity, and esthetic properties of porcelain restorations. The ceramo-metal restoration is still the mainstay of fixed prosthodontics and finds broad application in high-stress areas and for the restoration of multiple units. Research has focused upon minimizing destructive interfacial stresses, improvement in esthetics, and the development of dispersion-strengthened porcelains. Advances in individual porcelain jacket crowns have included the use of higher strength aluminous porcelain, the use of tin-plated platinum foil, bonding porcelain to a swaged gold and palladium foil matrix, and the most recent development-castable glass ceramic materials.