Emax VS Zirconia: a Comprehensive Guide about Dental Materials

June 8, 2023

Dental restorations are treatments used to restore the function, integrity, and aesthetics of a tooth. They allow the patient’s tooth to be repaired even when it’s damaged or decayed. The goal of dental restoration is to help the patient’s overall oral health and maintain their smile.

There are several materials used for dental restoration. Two of the most popular due to their strength are emax and zirconia.

In this article, we’ll dwell on the differences between these two materials and help you discuss with your patients what is the best option for them.

Emax vs Zirconia

Emax

Emax is a high-graded porcelain that produces strong ceramic material that was created in 2002.

Check out our product IPS e.max® Press.

While Emax is expensive, it’s widely respected by dentists due to its unique combination of strength and flexibility. It offers many advantages for dental restorations such as longevity, minimal wear, and new levels of strength and durability.

Additionally, it's great for aesthetics because it allows the artist to combine several different ceramic mixtures to get the desired shade.

Watch and learn with Keating: E.Max Veneer Removal With Hard Tissue Dental Laser

The only real drawback of Emax is the cost. This material is more expensive than traditional porcelains and others due to the advanced technology used to produce it.

Emax is mostly used in dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, veneers, and inlays. The purpose of using Emax is that the artistic nature of the material allows it to blend in with natural teeth for a more aesthetically pleasing result.

Zirconia

Zirconia is a strong ceramic material that has been around since 2001. It’s sometimes referred to as” White Gold”, because of its durability and versatility. Zirconia is one of the strongest dental restorative materials and is widely used because it’s able to withstand normal wear and tear.

Learn more by reading The History of Zirconia Dental Crows

The advantage of using zirconia over other materials is its strength and aesthetics. Zirconia is extremely durable and strong, the metal components used to support it (the zirconium) are lighter than traditional materials, allowing the patient to experience a more comfortable and natural bite.

It also offers great aesthetics, because it can be colored to match your patient’s existing teeth.

The downside of zirconia is that it has a higher cost than traditional materials. Additionally, it’s not always suitable for complex restoration cases because it can be difficult to place.

Watch also: Gold Dental Crowns Vs. Ceramic Or Zirconia Crowns

Zirconia is used as a dental restoration material for crowns, bridges, inlays, and implants. It’s best used when strength and aesthetics are paramount, as is the case for molar restorations or dental bridges.

The Conclusion: Emax vs Zirconia

Emax and Zirconia are two of the most popular materials used in dental restorations. Both materials offer strength and durability and they can both be used in the same applications.

Emax is more expensive but also offers the advantage of being more aesthetically pleasing than zirconia.
On the other hand, zirconia is slightly less expensive, but it’s also stronger and can be used for more complex restorations.

When it comes to recommending one or the other to your patients, it really depends on their specific needs and budget. If the patient is looking for a strong, long-lasting restoration, zirconia is probably the better option. If the patient is more concerned with aesthetics, then Emax is likely the better choice.

Ultimately, of course, you will need to evaluate each case carefully and make a decision based on the patient’s individual goals and needs.