LITHIUM SILICATE MATERIALS
First Claim
1. A process for manufacturing a lithium silicate restoration comprising preparing a lithium silicate blank which comprises(a) producing a melt of a starting glass containing the initial components SiO2, Li2O, K2O, Al2O3 and P2O5 as the main components(b) pouring the melt of the starting glass into a mould to form a starting glass blank and cooling the glass blank to room temperature,(c) subjecting the starting glass blank to a first heat treatment at a first temperature to give a glass product which contains nuclei suitable for forming lithium metasilicate crystals,(d) subjecting the glass product of step (c) to a second heat treatment at a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature to obtain the lithium silicate blank with lithium metasilicate crystals as the main crystalline phase,and(e) shaping the lithium silicate blank into a dental restoration.
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Abstract
Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A process for manufacturing a lithium silicate restoration comprising preparing a lithium silicate blank which comprises
(a) producing a melt of a starting glass containing the initial components SiO2, Li2O, K2O, Al2O3 and P2O5 as the main components (b) pouring the melt of the starting glass into a mould to form a starting glass blank and cooling the glass blank to room temperature, (c) subjecting the starting glass blank to a first heat treatment at a first temperature to give a glass product which contains nuclei suitable for forming lithium metasilicate crystals, (d) subjecting the glass product of step (c) to a second heat treatment at a second temperature which is higher than the first temperature to obtain the lithium silicate blank with lithium metasilicate crystals as the main crystalline phase, and (e) shaping the lithium silicate blank into a dental restoration.
Specification