Utilizing dental CAD/CAM systems, chairside treatments allow patients to be treated within one day without the need for an intermediate dental laboratory. With this procedure, it is also essential to ensure a sufficient marginal fit of the restoration. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of the milling strategy on the marginal fit of CAD/CAM-fabricated lithium disilicate crowns. For this purpose, 10 crowns were fabricated from each of the materials IPS e.max CAD and Celtra Duo using the fastest and finest available milling strategy. The accuracy of the marginal fit of the 40 crowns was examined using the industrial scanner ATOS Triple Scan and the associated software using the triple scan protocol. In a comparison of the milling processes, the restorations fabricated using the finest process always exhibited a better marginal fit, with mean deviations of 87 μm and 146 μm for IPS e.max CAD and 111 μm and 118 μm for Celtra Duo. The difference was only statistically significant for the crowns made of IPS e.max CAD (p = 0.008). All mean deviations determined were below the clinically acceptable marginal gap values (150 μm). Both materials can be used for chairside-fabricated crowns; however, choosing the faster milling strategy leads to higher marginal discrepancies.

Material wear significantly impacts the clinical success and longevity of dental ceramic restorations. This in vivo study aimed to assess the wear behavior of IPS Empress^® glass-ceramic inlays and onlays over 14 years, considering the influence of different antagonist materials. Fifty-four indirect restorations of 21 patients were available for comprehensive wear analysis, with complete follow-up data for up to 14 years. Three-dimensional measurements relied on digitized epoxy resin models produced immediately post-insertion (baseline) and subsequently at 2, 4, and 14 years. The occlusal region on the baseline model was delineated for comparative analysis. Three-dimensional superimpositions with models from subsequent time points were executed to assess wear in terms of average linear wear and volumetric loss. Statistical analyses were conducted in R (version 4.4.1), employing Mann–Whitney U tests (material comparisons) and Wilcoxon signed rank tests (time point comparisons), with a significance threshold of p ≤ 0.05. During the entire study period, an increase in wear was observed at each assessment interval, gradually stabilizing over time. Significant differences in substance loss were found between the follow-up time points, both for mean (−0.536 ± 0.249 mm after 14a) and integrated distance (−18,935 ± 11,711 mm³ after 14a). In addition, significantly higher wear was observed after 14 years with gold as antagonist compared to other materials (p ≤ 0.03). The wear behavior of IPS Empress^® ceramics demonstrates clinically acceptable long-term outcomes, with abrasion characteristics exhibiting stabilization over time.

Multilayer zirconias have recently been introduced as dental biomaterials to combine improved translucency with sufficient mechanical reliability by implementing yttria-driven gradients in phase composition. Such materials can be considered functionally graded ceramics, where local phase stabilization influences strength and crack resistance. However, manufacturer-specific gradient profiles and their structure–property relationships remain insufficiently characterized. This study investigated two commercially available multilayer zirconias with distinct gradient concepts: IPS e.max^® ZirCAD Prime (continuous gradient) and KATANA™ Zirconia YML (stepwise gradient). Ten equidistant sections along the blank height were analyzed using quantitative X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement to quantify zirconia phase fractions and estimate local Y₂O₃ content. Mechanical behavior was evaluated by biaxial flexural strength testing (ball-on-three-balls method) and fracture toughness testing using the chevron-notched beam technique. Both materials exhibited pronounced yttria- and phase-dependent gradients consistent with their reported layer designs. Regions with increased yttria content showed higher t″ fractions and reduced fracture toughness and strength, whereas deeper regions displayed increased mechanical performance associated with higher fractions of transformable tetragonal phase. These findings emphasize that multilayer zirconias exhibit spatially dependent mechanical properties, which should be considered in biomaterial selection and restoration design, particularly when balancing aesthetic demands and fracture resistance.