Dental ceramics--an update.

The application of certain industrial ceramics and processing techniques has facilitated the introduction of a wide range of new dental restorative products including castable glass-ceramics, shrink-free materials and an ion-strengthening paste. However, these recent advances must be evaluated against the well-established materials and techniques developed more than 20 years ago. This article outlines interesting developments in the evolution of dental ceramics over the past 30 years and considers the current state of the art.