A new, hybrid material for minimally invasive restorations in clinical use.

A new type of material consisting of a ceramic substructure infiltrated with a composite material--referred to as a hybrid ceramic--is currently being introduced for dental CAD/CAM use. The characteristic brittleness of ceramic is thus replaced by an elasticity resembling that of natural human dentin. The material features a high fracture load value of 2980 N, and is straightforward to process in CAD/CAM milling machines. This article presents a case example describing the manufacture of a veneer restoration.