Ceramic Machining Systems-A New Era in Prosthodontics

CAD/CAM ceramics are machinable ceramic materials formulated for the production of crowns and inlays through the use of computer aided designs and computer aided machining processes. CAD-CAM (computer assisted design-computer assisted manufacture) systems have also recently been introduced to the dental profession. All CAD/CAM systems are technically complex and involve three distinct steps that is collection of information design of the restoration and fabrication. These systems will undoubtedly receive periodic improvement, necessitating expense for software changes as well as tool replacement and other associated expenses. This paper outlines some interesting aspects of recent developments in ceramics and considers the present state of the art with respect to both materials and techniques.