Zirconia Restorations

Zirconia is our highest-volume product line: single crowns, long-span bridges and full-arch frameworks, milled from recognised multilayer discs and finished in-house. This page covers the material options, what to send us, and how quality is checked.

What we offer & who it is for

We manufacture zirconia restorations for dental practices, clinics, DSO groups and outsourcing laboratories. Single units ship on the standard crown-and-bridge workflow; multi-unit and long-span cases get a named senior technician and a design preview before milling.

Work from this line

Full Contour Zirconia Crown and Bridge - case 2

Anterior Zirconia Crown And Bridge - case 2

Options

Monolithic (full-contour)	Milled to final anatomy from multilayer gradient discs; stained and glazed. Maximum strength, minimal chipping risk.
Layered	High-strength zirconia framework with hand-layered porcelain for incisal character.
Shades	VITA classical and 3D-Master shades; multilayer gradient discs for natural cervical-incisal transitions; custom staining from photos or shade tabs.
Translucency	High-translucency discs for aesthetic zones; standard and high-strength discs for posterior and long-span work.
Material classes	Yttria-stabilized zirconia across the industry-standard 3Y / 4Y / 5Y strength-translucency classes - the disc class is chosen per indication and confirmed with you before milling.
Cementation surfaces	Bonded or conventional; specify preparation material and cementation plan in the RX.

Specifications & industry guidance

Parameter	Industry reference	Notes
Flexural strength (material class)	3Y: 1,000-1,200 MPa · 4Y: 800-1,000 MPa · 5Y: 600-800 MPa	Higher translucency grades trade some strength
Recommended minimum thickness	Occlusal 1.0 mm · axial 0.5 mm (monolithic)	Full-contour posterior units
Translucency	~35-45% (high-translucency grades)	Multilayer discs carry a shade gradient
Cementation	Self-adhesive or resin cement; adhesive for short preparations	Conventional cements acceptable on retentive preps
Typical indications	Single units, bridges up to full arch, implant crowns, bruxism cases	Span limits confirmed at design

Practical guidance for your prescriptions

Prep design: 1.0-1.5 mm occlusal reduction for posterior units keeps the material in its strength zone.
Avoid sharp internal angles - rounded line angles reduce ceramic stress concentration.
For bruxism patients, monolithic zirconia with 1.5 mm occlusal thickness is the common specification.
Multilayer discs position the most translucent layer incisally - note the margin level so the right zone lands at the gingiva.

Reference figures are widely accepted industry values for the material/system class - case-specific parameters are confirmed at design. Reviewed by the Istar case coordination team.

Indications & limits

Material choice is confirmed against the case: for very reduced occlusal clearance, heavy bruxism or long spans, our technicians will propose a framework design or an alternative material before production - never after a failure.

Shade reproduction depends on what we receive: a photo without a shade tab, or a tab photographed under warm room light, will be confirmed back to you as an assumption, not a match.

What to submit with your case

STL scan (or model/impresion) of the prepared tooth and opposing arch
Rx form with material, shade (and translucency level), margin design
Bite registration for multi-unit and excursive-demand cases
Reference photos with a shade tab in frame for aesthetic zones
Notes on antagonist material and preferred contact tightness

How the case is made & checked

Case intake: completeness check, assumption confirmation, design library match

CAD design with your anatomy and contact preferences applied

Design preview sent for approval (on request or for complex cases)

Milling from shade-matched disc, in-house sintering

Staining and glazing to prescription

Multi-stage inspection: marginal fit, contacts, occlusion, colour

Independent final release sign-off, packaging with case records

Every case is inspected for marginal fit on the die or model, proximal contacts, static and dynamic occlusion and colour against the prescription. Inspection records, photos and sign-offs are retained and traceable to technician, equipment and material batch.

Production time & shipping

Routine zirconia crown and bridge cases are produced on our standard 2-3 lab day workflow; complex multi-unit cases are scheduled individually and confirmed at case acceptance. The clock starts when your case data is complete and approved - missing information, design approval and customer replies do not count toward production time. Shipping time is separate and depends on destination and courier.

Real cases

Posterior zirconia bridge after PFM fracture

A European client laboratory sent a three-unit posterior case with reduced occlusal space and a history of porcelain fracture on the previous PFM. Monolithic zirconia was chosen over layered porcelain; contacts and occlusion were confirmed from the design preview. The case shipped within standard turnaround and the client reported the fit required no adjustment.

Full Contour Zirconia Crown and Bridge - case 3

Pricing & fees

Quotations follow our B2B price list by material and restoration type; volume pricing is available for account customers. The confirmed price covers production, standard components and packaging; courier freight and destination import duties are billed separately. Rush handling is confirmed in writing before the case enters production.

If something goes wrong

Laboratory-side remakes are covered free of charge - see the full remake & warranty policy. Every remake starts with a root-cause analysis you are part of.

Frequently asked questions

When is monolithic zirconia the better choice?

For posterior teeth, bruxism patients, implant restorations and anywhere strength matters more than incisal translucency. For anterior aesthetic cases, layered zirconia or E.max usually reproduces natural optics better.

How do we communicate a difficult shade?

Send well-lit photos of the adjacent teeth with a shade tab in frame, or post the physical tab. Our technicians verify shade under standardised light before and after porcelain work, and will photograph the finished restoration against the tab if you ask.

What span can a zirconia bridge reach?

Multi-unit and long-span bridges are routine production. For very long spans the framework design is discussed with you before milling - that conversation is part of case acceptance, not an extra step.

Which zirconia materials and discs do you use?

We mill from recognised multilayer and high-translucency zirconia discs in 3Y, 4Y and 5Y grades. The material used on your case is recorded on the invoice for traceability, and you can lock a preferred disc on your account profile.

Can zirconia crowns be used on implants?

Yes - zirconia crowns can be screw-retained on titanium bases or cemented onto custom abutments. Send the implant brand, platform and scan body type with the case and we verify component compatibility before design.

Are zirconia crowns safe for bruxism patients?

Monolithic zirconia is the default recommendation for bruxism patients because there is no layered porcelain to chip. For severe bruxism we can also adjust the occlusal thickness in design - note it on the prescription.

What happens if a zirconia crown does not fit?

Report it through our Remakes & Warranty workflow with a photo or a new scan. We re-check the case against the design file and our QC records; if our work is at fault, the remake and shipping are on us.

Ready to send your first case?

Request the price list or tell us about your first case - a named coordinator replies with the next step, not a sales script.

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Content owner: Istar Dental Lab (case coordination team) · Last updated: 2026-10-28