Pressed or Feldspathic Veneers/crowns?

Sounds like you are a well informed patient. I would not recommed feldspathic on an implant abutment because it is brittle and will likely break over time. Feldspathic needs the bond to tooth structure (mostly enamel) for its strength. A zirconia abutment just does not bond to feldspathic porcelain so it will not get the required strength.

I agree with my colleages that it is the most esthetic material but in your case I would go for pressed e-max which can be cut-back and veneered with felspathic porcelain by the ceramist. This will offer the stregth needed and it will look great and it will match.

Good luck

Dr. T

Both porcelain materials are very good.  Pressed offers strength and good esthetics and feldspathic offers extreme beauty but much less strength.  It would be wise for best esthetics to use the same materal on all teeth.  Your dentist can advise you on the best type for your occlussion and cosmetics.

Great question.  Feldspathic porcelain is the most beautiful but it also happens to be the most brittle.  It gains most of its strength when bonded to a tooth substrate.  Therefore its a poor choice over an implant abutment, as there is very little bond to zirconia oxide.  The pressed EMAX crowns are great for a front tooth over an abutment as they are strong and can be layered with some feldspathic porcelain and made to look very beautiful.  As for the surrounding natural teeth.  Pressed veneers can be made to be as beautiful as feldspathic veneers, but they tend to be a bit thicker.  Therefore it is up to you cosmetic dentist to use the best material for the situation.  If there is a lot of space anything works, if there is less then often feldspathic veneers work better.

Good luck!!!

You can have a Feldspathic Crown made over a Zirconia Implant Abutment. If you mix Feldpathic and Pressed Veneers/Crowns, they will NOT match eachother on close inspection. Pressed are usually stronger than Feldspathic, but Feldspathic can be made slightly more esthetic than pressed.