Abstract

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.