Dental Ceramics : Veneers , Crowns , Inlays , Orthodontic brackets
The first recorded attempt to use ceramics as replacements for teeth was in about 1774, in Paris, France, by a dentist, Nicholas Dubois de Chémant. Before that time, many other materials had been used to replace teeth, including ivory, bone, wood, animal teeth, and even teeth extracted from human donors. These prior tooth replacements weren’t particularly effective, because they quickly became stained and invariably developed a bad odor. Since 1774, and especially during the past 40 years, dental ceramics have been refined to duplicate the color and translucency of natural teeth and to provide higher strength. Ceramics have been used for tooth replacement and for dentures, and new restoration techniques, such as veneers , inlays , and crowns have also been developed. A veneer consists of a thin layer of ceramic, usually bonded to the visible surface of front teeth. An inlay is a filling. A ceramic inlay provides a natural-colored alternative to repairing a cavity with a s...