08/27/2019

A Change in Dental Materials

When Dr. Timothy Crowe graduated from dental school, the year was 1980. Hair was big, and so were gold dental restorations.

Gold restorations offer many benefits to patients including their anti-cavity properties, superior fit and longevity. So what could possibly replace them? The material, ceramic. No, not like the fancy china plates you break out to impress the in-laws at the holidays, we’re talking the highest strength advanced ceramic materials known to man, lithium disilicate and zirconia. With a compressive strength 2x that of gold, and superior aesthetic finishes, these restorations are bonded to tooth structure as crowns, veneers, inlays or onlays. As ceramic technologies continue to develop so do their applications in dentistry, allowing for beautiful restorations that can withstand high functional demands.