High Load Bearing, High Reliable All-Ceramic Bridges

All-ceramic dental bridges are highly desirable as they offer the advantages of a metal-free treatment. TZP offers high strength and toughness, but is difficult to machine in its dense state. A novel process known as Direct Ceramic Machining, available from Degussa Dental under the brand name CERCON, is presented. It allows easy fabrication of all-ceramic dental restorations with a zirconia framework, such as crowns and multiple-unit dental bridges. Due to the high dimensional accuracy achieved, no additional hard machining in the hard state is needed. The load capacity and reliability of frameworks and bridges fabricated by the CERCON process were compared to identically shaped frameworks made of In-Ceram Alumina and IPS Empress2. It was found that the CERCON process combined with TZP material is suitable for fabricating all-ceramic dental restorations. Material properties are superior to those of the other ceramics, while the frameworks and bridges show much higher strength and reliability. 11 refs.