Demystifying Material Selection for All-Ceramic Restorations-Demystifying Material Selection for All-Ceramic Restorations

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Video Summary

Dr. Siamak Najafi’s webinar focused on simplifying material selection for all-ceramic restorations in anterior and posterior dentistry. He explained the difference between “ceramic” and “porcelain,” then reviewed the key components of ceramics: glassy phase and crystalline phase. Using analogies like asphalt and composite, he showed how these phases determine a material’s translucency, brittleness, strength, and etchability.<br /><br />He covered three main ways to classify dental ceramics: by fusion temperature, by fabrication method, and by microstructure. Fabrication methods included powder condensation/sintering, heat pressing, slip casting, and CAD/CAM milling. He also distinguished soft-machined versus hard-machined materials and noted that modern blocks may be monochromatic or polychromatic. In the microstructure classification, ceramics ranged from pure glass-based systems to glass-ceramics, crystalline-dominant ceramics such as lithium disilicate, and fully polycrystalline materials like zirconia.<br /><br />Dr. Najafi emphasized that material choice should be guided by clinical factors, especially strength, esthetics, retention, substrate color, prep design, connector dimensions, thickness, occlusion, and internal fit. He highlighted common failure risks such as poor reduction, uneven veneering thickness, parafunction, and occlusal interferences. He also explained that monolithic designs are often preferred in bruxers, while veneered or cutback designs may be better when esthetics and masking are priorities.<br /><br />Clinical cases illustrated how to choose between feldspathic porcelain, lithium disilicate, zirconia, and PFM based on stump shade, occlusion, tooth position, and implant or tooth support. His overall message: prosthodontists should think beyond “all ceramic” as a generic term and prescribe the specific ceramic design and material intentionally.

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Demystifying Material Selection for All-Ceramic Restorations Siamak Najafi, DDS Subject: 250 Credits: 1.5 Audience: Dentists Fee: $125 (non-members); $75 (members); $37.50 (students) Description With the recent developments on dental porcelains, nowadays there are a variety of options for all-ceramic restorations, from feldspathic porcelain to monolithic all-zirconia restorations. This course will review different dental porcelain and their classifications and will demonstrate the factors which need to be considered when selecting the material and design for all-ceramic restorations. Learning Objectives Upon successful completion of this course, the attendee will have an in-depth understanding of the different porcelain options available for all-ceramic restorations and will enhance their clinical judgment when selecting the material for the abovementioned restorations. Speaker Bio Clinical Assistant Professor at the Department of Prosthodontics at NYU College of Dentistry. He teaches in the Comprehensive and Esthetics programs for int’l dentists. He has been active in multiple research activities and has co-authored articles in dental journals on various topics in prosthodontics and dental materials. Dr. Najafi also maintains his private practice in NYU Dental Faculty practice limited to prosthodontics in New York City.

Keywords

all-ceramic restorations

dental ceramics

material selection

lithium disilicate

zirconia

feldspathic porcelain

porcelain-fused-to-metal

CAD/CAM milling

microstructure classification

translucency

occlusion

prosthodontics