State-of-the-art zirconium oxide restorations: concepts, smile design, digital workflow and fabrication
Diagnostics and communication with the patient are essential for reliable success with tooth- or implant-supported reconstructions. With current digital technologies it is possible to create a virtual patient. The facial scanner plays an important role in determining facial references. After detecting and diagnosing the existing patient asymmetries, the dental team can design a new smile for the patient using a digital diagnostic wax-up. The virtual smile can be milled and tried on in the sense of a snap-on mock-up. This diagnostic mock-up provides a three-dimensional preview of the preliminary treatment goal. It is a crucial tool for good communication between the patient, practitioner and dental technician. In the provisional phase of treatment, prototypes or indirect temporaries are fabricated based on the diagnostic design and tested in the mouth. Excellent reconstructions can be made with zirconia and a micro-ceramic layering. This lecture will show how the dental team can get the most out of a digital workflow for the best possible patient satisfaction with all-ceramic restorations.
