We're getting better-looking zirconia than ever before, and today we can often blend zirconia and ceramics seamlessly within the same case. One way to accomplish this is by selecting a more translucent zirconia, such as Ivoclar's ZirCAD MT Multi, ZirCAD Prime, or the latest generation of highly esthetic zirconia materials. Zirconia is rapidly evolving into a truly esthetic restorative option.

This video focuses on surface texturing and the art of placing the subtle micro-texture that gives zirconia a natural, lifelike appearance before characterization and glazing. With the introduction of self-leveling glazes, we can create remarkably natural-looking zirconia restorations. In many cases, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish zirconia from e.max restorations.

One concept I strongly emphasize is designing approximately 95% of your primary and secondary contours in the virtual design phase. This includes line angles, emergence profiles, facial anatomy, and embrasures. When the restoration comes out of the mill, the heavy lifting should already be complete. At that point, our role is simply to customize the surface with texture and subtle nuances that elevate the restoration from good to exceptional.

In this video, I walk through the steps of micro-texturing a zirconia canine restoration to blend naturally with the adjacent ceramic lateral incisor. The goal is to create harmony between two different restorative materials while maintaining a consistent appearance across the smile.

For this case, I am using the Meisinger JK04 Zirconia Laboratory Kit, which provides excellent instruments for creating realistic surface anatomy and natural enamel-like texture.