The wide world
of all-ceramic

All-ceramic restorations are gaining enormous importance. In the case of defects predominantly limited to the occlusal surfaces (carious teeth, damage due to bruxism or biocorrosion), minimally invasive restorations in the form of occlusal onlays - also referred to as "occlusal veneers" or "table tops" - can be used as an alternative to crowning.

Indications - Preparation of Occlusion onlays

• for the treatment of carious teeth
• for the restoration of single teeth or posterior teeth damaged by bruxism and/or biocorrosion
• for the reconstruction of the occlusion

Today, defect-oriented restoration takes precedence over "Extention for Prevention" in conservative dentistry. Inlays and partial crowns are therefore becoming increasingly popular, because they prevent high substance losses due to crowning.

The most important rules to be observed when preparing all ceramic inlays are listed below.

Ceramic veneers have established themselves as a serious treatment alternative alongside the classic and more invasive forms of restoration. Originally used for labial and esthetic therapies only, treatments with veneers have now become much more versatile. A distinction is made here between, firstly, labial veneers with different surrounds or different preparation geometries and, secondly, functional veneers on the palatal surfaces of the canines. An important prerequisite for clinical success with ceramic veneers is a systematic, substance-preserving preparation, which is ideally limited to the enamel. This still represents a particular challenge.

After enlarging the preparation, we distinguish between:

• Purely labial veneers (“short wrap design”)
• Veneers consisting of the contact point and extending in an interproximal direction (“medium wrap design”)
• Veneers consisting of interproximal spaces and incisal edges (“long wrap design”)
• 360°veneers that cover the entire dental surface and are limited to the dental enamel (“full wrap design”)
• Palato-incisal functional veneers, usually on the canines

All-ceramic crowns are one of the best and most popular forms of dental restorations. When they are made, their shades are matched to those of the patient's own teeth. Although this process is costly, it brings excellent aesthetics, as the all-ceramic crown is almost indistinguishable from the patient's own teeth. One hundred percent metal-free, it is also highly biocompatible and has a long survival rate. These ingenious advantages make it both the supreme and the most valuable of all restoration alternatives.