Tiếng Việt
Have you ever wondered how long ceramics have been used in dental laboratory technology? What are some of the innovation milestones in the history of dental ceramics? And why do we have different types of ceramics (metal-based ceramics and all-ceramics)? Read on, to find out how dental ceramics have evolved since their beginnings and what kind of trends are emerging for the future.
The use of ceramics in dentistry dates back to the 19th century. The dental ceramics that are routinely used today, including metal-based and metal-free ceramics, layering and press ceramics and manually (analog) and digitally processed ceramics, developed and established themselves at different stages in the ceramics timeline.
1950s to 1960s: The beginnings
The first commercially available ceramics did not require metal support. They were used to fabricate the traditional porcelain “jacket” crown. During the 1960s, various metal-based ceramics were introduced to the market. These materials were available in only a small range of shades, which limited their applications. At that time, the establishment of a sound bond between the metal and ceramic materials took priority.
1970s: Advanced materials
In the 1970s development efforts focused on creating more natural-looking and individualized dental restorations. A wide selection of colours for characterizing restorations was introduced during those years. Special layering schemes were developed to produce the best results. The dental industry offered a growing variety of layering materials. The main objective was to imitate nature as closely as possible.
1980s and 1990s: Important innovations
Initially, metal-based ceramic was the number one veneering material. Then, in the 1990s dental manufacturers introduced low-fusing ceramics to the market. These ceramics offered the advantage of shorter firing cycles on gold frameworks in a high CTE range.
The first pressable ceramics entered the market in 1991. This was the advent of “metal-free” restorations. Over the years, the process of pressing ceramics would become very popular. In 1998, several innovations were launched. The first generation of lithium disilicate ceramics opened up new indications and applications for the ceramic press technique. In addition, a new type of crystal was discovered which was capable of closely imitating the natural tooth structure. The crystal structure of fluorapatite also imparted a new level of brightness to the restorations. Since their introduction, fluorapatite glass-ceramics have been delivering highly esthetic, true-to-nature results. At the same time, pressable ceramics began to establish themselves on the market. Like metal-based ceramics, pressed ceramics were initially used only for single tooth restorations.
