CAD/CAM - international magazine of digital dentistry

26 I I industry report _ lithium disilicate _As dentistry continues to evolve, new tech- nologiesandmaterialsarecontinuallybeingoffered to the dental profession. Throughout the years, restorative trends and techniques have come and gone. Some material developments have trans- formed the face of aesthetic dentistry, while other initial concepts have phased out and died. Today all ceramic restorations continue to grow in the area of restorative dentistry, from pressed ceramic techniques and materials to the growing use of zir- conia, and new materials that can be created from CAD/CAM technology. This article will explore new uses for the all-ceramic material, known as lithium disilicate, and the use of a digital format to design and process this material in new and exciting ways. An overview of the material and unique clinical procedures will be presented. _Introduction Embracing proven alternative solutions and transforming traditional methods can be challeng- ing to dental restorative teams facing increasing patientdemandswhilebeingtaskedwithdelivering high-strengthrestorativeoptionswithoutcompro- misingtheaestheticoutcomes.Traditionally,dental professionals have used a high-strength core ma- terial made of either a cast metal framework or an oxide-based ceramic (such as zirconia or alumina). This approach has two disadvantages. Compared with glass-ceramic materials, the substructure material has high value and increased opacity but may not be aesthetically pleasing.1 This is especially an issue in conservative tooth prepa- CAD/CAM 1_2012 Fig. 1_Pre-existing clinical condition of mandibular molar to be restored. Fig. 2_Mandibular molar restored with CAD/CAM-designed and -milled e.max restoration, using stain and glaze technique for aesthetics. Fig. 3_Pre-existing clinical condition of maxillary posterior quadrant to be restored. Fig. 4_Maxillary posterior quadrant restored with CAD/CAM-designed and -milled e.max restorations, using a micro-layering technique for aesthetics. (Clinical dentistry in Figure 3 & 4 was done by Dr Michael Sesseman) Lithium disilicate, the restorative material of multiple options Authors_ Lee Culp & Prof Edward A. McLaren, USA Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4