Ultra-Translucent Zirconia
Patient demand for dental restorations with a natural esthetic has increased considerably over the past few decades. This is partially due to greater interest in and awareness of cosmetic dentistry. For many years, clinicians used PFM crowns and bridges to provide patients with durable, long-lasting restorations that offered reasonable esthetics. However, although still a popular option, the opacity of the PFM materials cannot always satisfy esthetic demands. The earliest all-ceramic materials provided better treatment outcomes but lacked the strength required for bridges and posterior crowns. When zirconia was first introduced, it gave clinicians a much stronger alternative. Although the higher crystalline content found in the original zirconia materials provides much better flexural strength, it also increases the opacity of the material, diminishing esthetics. The development of pre-shaded zirconia and the introduction of newer materials helped to overcome some of zircon...
