Dr. Lee Ann Brady On E.Max As A Useful Ceramic Material

e.max system

e.max system ceramic materialMany dentists have common questions about utilizing e.max as a ceramic material, such as: “I didn’t think you could bond Zirconia?”

This question comes up a lot in discussions I have with dentists. I hope to dispel much of the confusion surrounding e.max in this post.

Dispelling E.Max Confusion – Ceramic Material

IPS e.max is a system of ceramics from Ivoclar. This system, or shall we say family of materials, is all marketed and sold under the same name (IPS e.max), but contains a variety of different all ceramic materials.

Using the same name is a business decision and many of the dental manufacturers have followed this same protocol. The challenge is that dentists and perhaps ceramists have started to shorthand the material known as Lithium Disilicate with the name e.max, not realizing this actually could be describing several different materials.

When you fill out a lab script and write “e.max” what are you getting? Most likely Lithium Disilicate, but that isn’t a given. So let’s see if we can get to the bottom of it.

Ceramic Material E.Max and Cad Cam Technology

The system contains all ceramic that can be either pressed or milled using cad cam technology. Therefore if you or your technician has a technique preference there is a product available for you.

There are four varieties of materials:

  1. The high strength Lithium Disilicate
  2. Zirconium Oxide
  3. Fluorapatite
  4. Nano-fluorapatite ceramics

Now each of these materials has a slightly different name if you use both its family name and its individual name, so much like it is easier to identify a specific person if you use their first, middle, and last name.

Lithium Disilicate

  • IPS e.max press, designed to be pressed as a core or full contour monolithic restoration.
  • CAD, designed to be milled as a core or full contour monolithic restoration.

Zirconium Oxide

  • ZIrCAD, designed to be milled as a core.

Fluorapatite

  • ZirPress, designed to be pressed over a Zirconium Oxide core.

Nano-fluorapatite

  • Ceram, designed to be used as a layering ceramic over Lithium Disilicate or Zirconium Oxide.

Read more of Dr. Lee Ann Brady’s posts on hybrid overdenture and collaboration and aesthetic implant success with custom impression copings

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