DENTAL

CERAMICS
PART I by

Dr. Reem Gamal Hassan

■ Ceramics derived from Greek word keramos which means
burnt stuff more specifically Material produced by burning or
firing

Ceramics vs porcelain
■ Ceramics compound of one or more metals with non-metals
used as a single structure or as one of several layers.
■ Dental Porcelain early type of dental ceramics formed of
fusible and infusible compound.

Dr. Reem Gamal

 General properties

Application (uses).

Advantages and Disadvantages.

Composition.

Dental Manufacturing.

Ceramics
Classification.

Porcelain manipulation (Technique).

Properties.

Denture porcelain teeth.

Method of strengthening

Porcelain fused metal

Dr. Reem Gamal
 General properties
1. High melting temperature.
2. Thermal & electrical insulators.
3. Transparent unless porous → Translucent.
4. Mechanical properties:
a) Brittle
b) Low fracture toughness.
c) Hard.

5. Chemically inert due to:

a) Formed by oxidation →Maximally reacted → No free electrons.
b) Strongly bonded → No leaching out of constituents.

6. Chemically indestructible → Dissolves in strong acids as HF

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Uses

Dr. Reem Gamal

 Advantages: Disadvantages:
1. Esthetic appearance quite satisfactory. 1. It has no matching of the exact color
and texture of the teeth because the
2. Glazed surface produces a restoration optical properties of porcelain are
that is color stable, compatible with different from those of enamel and
the soft tissues. dentine.

3. Resistant to sudden thermal changes. 2. Porcelain restoration involves removal

of additional tooth structure.
4. Strength is normally adequate.
3. Porcelain has a high resistance to
abrasion this may result in excessive
wear of the teeth in the opposing arch.

4. Low tensile strength (brittleness is a

major defect in ceramics).

Dr. Reem Gamal

 Microstructure
■ Vitreous Phase (non-
crystalline)composed mostly of glass
has the highest esthetics. Formed by
vitrification which is the solidification
of a melt into a glass rather
than a crystalline structure
(crystallization).

■ Crystalline phase Formed by

devitrification= ceramming Is a
process by which crystallization of
glass occurs. This can be
accomplished in the presence of
nucleating agent
(alkali/oxides I.e. soda potash)at a
high temperature and for a long time

Dr. Reem Gamal

 Feldspar 75-85 %

Silica (quartz) 12-22%

Kaolin 3-5%

Glass modifiers (Na+, K+ or Ca++)

Composition
Flux

Coloring pigments

Fluorescence

Sugar and starch

Dr. Reem Gamal
 Composition
A-Feldspar 70-85% (it is mixture of sodium aluminum
silicate Na2O.AL2O3.6SiO2 albite and potassium aluminum silicate
K2O.Al2O3.6SiO2orthoclase )

➢ Serve as matrix of quartz

➢ Melts at 1290-1300C

➢ Increase viscosity of molten glass allowing particles to coalescent together, also it

gives translucency to dense solid.

➢ Potassium feldspar when mixed with various metal oxides and fired to high
temperature can form leucite and a glass phase

➢ Leucite is a crystalline mineral: potassium-aluminum-silicate with high coefficient

of thermal expansion (20-25 X10-6ºC).

Dr. Reem Gamal

B- Silica (QUARTZ) 12-22%:
➢Remains unchanged during the firing process
➢Acts as a strengthening agent.
➢It is present as a fine crystalline dispersion throughout the glassy phase that is
produced by the melting of the feldspar and the kaolin.

C- Kaolin 3-5%:
Kaolin is a hydrated aluminum silicate Al2O. 2SiO2. 2H2O
➢ When mixed with water it becomes sticky and helps in forming a workable
mass of the porcelain during molding.
➢ acts as a binder increases the mouldability of the unfired porcelain.
➢ It gives porcelain opaqueness and undergoes sever shrinkage after firing .
➢ Modern dental porcelain does not contain kaolin, thus can be considered
feldspathic glass with crystalline inclusions.
Dr. Reem Gamal
D- Glass modifiers: Addition of some metal ions like Na+, K+
or Ca++. Manufactures added glass modifiers to produce
porcelain with different firing temp.
Effect of glass modifiers:
1.Increase fluidity of the glass.
2.Lowering softening temperature.
3.Increase thermal expansion.
N.B: If too much modifiers are added→↑reduction in the
chemical durability (Less resistance to alkalis and acids attack).

Dr. Reem Gamal

E-Flux: Added in low fusing glasses to reduce the firing
temperature.

F-Coloring agents: Metal oxides opacifiers iron, tin, or titanium

oxides.

G-Fluorescence: Lanthanide earth. to glow the same as natural

enamel.

H-Sugar and starch: to help the manipulation of the powder and

to act as binder in dental porcelain.

Dr. Reem Gamal

 Manufacturing:
1. Pyrochemical reaction:
All components → Blending → Melting at  temp.
2. Quenching:
The red-hot material → Quenching → Porcelain powder
(Frits) supplied to dental lab.

The frits are composed of

Vitreous (glassy) phase Crystalline phase

(Feldspars & Kaolin) (Silica & Metal oxides)

Dr. Reem Gamal

Classification of dental
Ceramics

General classification of
porcelain restorations

PFM
All ceramic
Porcelain Fused to
restorations
Metal

Dr. Reem Gamal

 According to the method of
firing:

At reduced
At atmospheric
pressure (under
pressure.
vacuum).

According to their
application

Dentin Enamel
porcelain it porcelain it is
Core porcelain.
gives the shape quite
and color translucent
Dr. Reem Gamal
According to their fusion
temperatures High fusing > 1300°C Denture Teeth

Denture Teeth, Jacket

Medium Fusing 1000°C-
Crowns, Bridges and
1300°C
Inlays

Low Fusing 850°C - Veneers over cast metal

1000°C crowns

Veneers over cast metal

Ultra-low fusing< 850°C
crowns

Dr. Reem Gamal

 Condensation and
sintering (Conventional
technique)
Methods of fabricating ceramic

Pressure molding and

sintering (pressable
ceramics)
restorations

Casting and creaming

Slip casting
Copy milling

Machinable

CAD/CAM

Dr. Reem Gamal

Condensation and sintering (Conventional technique)

Dr. Reem Gamal

Castable ceramics
Pressure molding and sintering
(pressable ceramics)
 Slip Cast

Al2O3 slip Glass infiltration

CAD/CAM
Copy milling
Porcelain technique:(Conventional condensation and sintering
technique )

Tooth preparation Impression Platinum foil matrix

Die preparation

Opaque layer application Porcelain application Firing

& Compaction

Fired restoration Correction and adjustment Glazing Cooling

Compaction

•The process of packing the particles

together to form a creamy mix
removing the excess water to Minimize
shrinkage and porosity
•Methods :
1. vibration
2. spatulation.
3. Sprinkling dry powder

Dr. Reem Gamal

Firing
- The purpose of firing is simply to sinter
the particles of powder. Firing takes
place in a muffle i.e. an electric oven with
a pyrometer.
- During firing, the porcelain undergoes
several changes:
1. The first change: low bisque stage –
flux starts to flow
2. The second change: medium bisque
stage- Involves the loss of water and
shrinkage occurs
3. The third change: high bisque stage
Occurs as the temperature is raised and
the particles of porcelain fuse together by
sintering.
Dr. Reem Gamal
 Glazing
■ Aim to produce a smooth shiny surface and has a strengthening effect as it
fills up the surface cracks so avoid any stress concentration. Decrease
plaque accumulation .
■ Glazed porcelain is much appreciated than non-glazed porcelain
regarding:
➢ Excellent color
➢ Color stability
➢ Resistance to shipping
➢ Less wear for opposing teeth
➢ Least retention for microorganisms and so the best biocompatibility
■ It is done either by flow of the glass at the surface from the ceramic
restoration "self-glaze porcelain" natural glaze (superficial layer on
ceramic prosthesis formed by heating dental porcelain )or a low fusing
glass ( over glaze ) is added to it.
■ Self-glaze porcelain is preferred to an applied glaze why? Dr. Reem Gamal
 Cooling
■ Slow cooling should be done to avoid surface crazing.

Dr. Reem Gamal

 1. Shrinkage on firing:
- Volumetric shrinkage 40% occurs due to
loss of water, loss of binder, and the
elimination of voids
- Proper condensation and firing
technique is required to compensate for
the shrinkage during the construction of
the porcelain restoration.
Properties
2. Porosity: (1.3-4.8%).
-Internal voids decrease the strength and
translucency of the porcelain
- Porosities can be reduced by:
i. firing under vacuum
ii. The use powder particle size distribution
(non uniform).
Dr. Reem Gamal
 3. Chemical properties:
- Not attached by chemicals except
hydrofluoric acid (very strong).
4. Mechanical properties:
⁃ Porcelain is a brittle material
⁃ Very hard
⁃ Adequate compressive strength
⁃ Low tensile strength.
5. Esthetics and color:
Properties - Excellent as the color and shades can
match natural teeth.
6. Biological properties:
⁃ Inert material and has no interaction to
the tissue.
⁃ It is a very bulky restoration so Needs
excessive tooth reduction and May
produce stresses on the gingiva.
⁃ It is very hard and may case Attrition of
opposing natural dentition. Dr. Reem Gamal
Dr. Reem Gamal