Dental ceramic restorations are essentially oxide based glass-ceramic
systems. Glass-ceramics are employed in medicine and dentistry because they are
relatively easy to process and have impressive mechanical properties. In addition, allceramic
dental restorations are attractive for both dentists and patients because they
have excellent aesthetics and their low thermal conductivity makes them comfortable in
the mouth. In addition, the material is extremely durable and relatively easy to
manufacture into customised units. The first ceramic to be used in dental restoration
was dental porcelain. Introduced in the 1960s, this material has shown excellent
aesthetics and biocompatibility, but its strength is only adequate for a limited range of
applications. The development of advanced dental material technologies has recently
led to the introduction of a range of all-ceramic restorations in dentistry. In this chapter,
the authors have summarised the fundamental principles of glass-ceramic technology
particularly it’s use in dentistry and also give general information about current
commercial materials and those currently under development. Detailing their properties,
processing methods and how they may affect the future of dentistry.
Keywords: Glass-ceramics, properties, commercial ceramics, dentistry, processes,
glass-ceramics for dental restorations, ideal properties for dental glass-ceramic
materials, processing and production methods of commercial glass-ceramic materials.
