Contemporary Indirect Restorations: A Review of Subtractive and Additive Materials and Techniques

In 2007, approximately 26% of indirect restorations from one of the largest US dental laboratories were ceramic or resin-based. By 2013, this percentage had increased dramatically to 81%. The adoption of digital workflows (design and manufacturing) in dental laboratories has accelerated the trend toward non-metal indirect restorations. Currently, nearly half of practitioners use intraoral scanning, which facilitates the process of digital crown fabrication. Additionally, the introduction of in-office milling and 3D printing has expanded material options, including filled dental polymers for both provisional and definitive restorations. As fabrication technologies have advanced, material formulations have evolved in response, requiring clinicians to stay informed about changes in their properties.