The search for tooth coloured and metal-free restorations is one of the major challenges in dental research. For several decades, ceramic has been used as a restorative material because of its aesthetics and intraoral stability. Unfortunately, the survival rate of most full ceramic systems seemed unsatisfactory. Due to the natural brittleness of ceramic, fractures had been the primary reason for high failure rates in the past. Ceramics have gone though dramatic developments resulting in material properties changing significantly. In combination with innovations and improvements in adhesive technology, new possibilities were evolved to restore single teeth and to replace missing teeth. Nowadays the clinician has a big variety of different ceramic products available to restore teeth metal free, to satisfy high aesthetic demands or to work in a non-invasive way that preserves natural tooth structure. Sintered ceramics, pressable ceramics and high strength ceramics such zirconia are described and critically discussed.

This lecture will present a concept out of private practice on how to treat patients with all-ceramic restorations. Small edge ups and full veneers, inlays/onlays and partial crowns, full crowns, three-unit-bridges, multiple-unit-bridges, adhesive and cantilever bridges, posts for implants and non-vital teeth: the repertoire of all-ceramic restorations has grown extensively and should be of interest to any modern dentist.