The continuous research for a good aesthetic, biological and functional integration of dental restorations has produced satisfying results in the field of ceramics.
This material, without metallic structure, can transmit the light very similarly to natural teeth. The general term “integral ceramics” refers to a wide variety of materials, which differ in production techniques and in their chemical physical properties.

CAD/CAM-assisted design and manufacturing, a widely-used technique, use silicate and oxide ceramics, while veneers and facets are based on leucite glass ceramics, which have low strength. Middle-strength lithium silicate ceramics are used for single crowns or small dental bridges.

High-strength ceramics are yttrium-stabilized zirconia dioxide. These “oxide ceramics” have an extreme final hardness and cannot be milled with cad-cam techniques. Instead, they are worked in their green state and then sintered at 1500°c.

CASE REPORT:
The clinical case is a 35 year-old woman who refused implantology and opted for an integral ceramic bridge.

She was without tooth #46 and with destructive caries of tooth #47, and after performing root canal therapy and inserting gold-plated dental pins, we could continue with prosthetic rehabilitation.