Aesthetic all-ceramic restorations: the internal live stain technique

The utilization of porcelain as a restorative material began a new era in aesthetic dentistry. By today's standards, the early porcelains were rather primitive and of low value. However, the potential of all-ceramic material for aesthetic dentistry was recognized, and various modifications and enhancements followed to render the material applicable for dental restorations. The learning objective of this article is to present the history of development, the principles, and the laboratory fabrication of ceramic restorations utilizing the Internal Live Stain Technique. The technique uses stains with all-ceramic material to achieve the optimal simulation of natural dentition. While replicating the optical properties inherent in the natural dentition, the application of the stain improves the physical characteristics of the all-ceramic material. The general principles of the first and second applications are disclosed, followed by presentation of two clinical cases--all-ceramic crown and laminate veneer restorations in the maxillary anterior segment.