Markus Blatz
Speaker
The John McLean Honorary Lecture
The Science and Art of Dental Ceramics – An Update
“The importance of obtaining the natural enamel effect cannot be overemphasized since much of the ceramic work today lacks the natural depth and translucency of human teeth,” John W. McLean wrote in the Preface of his all-time classic, groundbreaking textbook “The Science and Art of Dental Ceramics”. He continued, ”To adopt one system or brand of porcelain and use it indiscriminately and without appreciation of its aesthetic and mechanical limitations can result in unsightly dentistry. There is a place for all our materials (…). Each should be used where its properties can be developed to maximum advantage”. There is nothing much to add and although written in the early 1970s, almost 50 years ago, these statements, in light of the current, immense influx of new ceramic materials, could not be more accurate and timely.
In his spirit, the John McLean Honorary Lecture will provide an update on current ceramic materials and discuss their aesthetic and mechanical limitations as well as clinical guidelines to maximize their advantages, based on scientific evidence.