Glass-Ceramics

Glass ceramics is a polycrystal material which is obtained by controlled crystallisation of glass. During the controlled crystallisation of glass a two-phase material emerges: crystals and an amorphous glass matrix. The development of crystals, several micrometers in size, takes place during the procedure of heating the total volume of glass, formation of germs and growth of crystals. The germs are either latently present in the glass or are added as an insoluble material in the finely dispersed distribution of the mixture (glass amorphous mass). Glass ceramic systems exist for laboratory fabrication and machine milling of finished ceramic blocks. By the method of casting and heat pressing glass ceramics materials are obtained with excellent mechanical and aesthetic properties for fabrication single crowns, inlays and onlays and also of three-unit bridges.