Edentalab - emax

E.max Crown

High Esthetics

At Edentalab, our E.max crowns are fabricated from advanced lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (IPS E.max CAD / Press), engineered to combine superior esthetics with excellent mechanical performance. Designed for both anterior and posterior restorations, E.max offers a balance between translucency, strength, and precision fit through a fully digital CAD/CAM workflow or traditional press technique.

Technical Specifications:

• Material: Lithium disilicate (SiO₂–Li₂O–K₂O–P₂O₅–ZrO₂–ZnO–Al₂O₃)
• Flexural Strength: 360–500 MPa (depending on fabrication process)
• Fabrication: CAD/CAM milling or pressable ingots with controlled crystallization cycle
• Translucency: High — available in HT, MT, LT, and MO ingot shades
• Cementation: Adhesive or resin-based bonding recommended for maximum retention
• Indications: Veneers, inlays, onlays, anterior and posterior single crowns
• Thickness: 1.0–1.5 mm recommended for full coverage crowns

Advantages of E.max Crown

• Excellent esthetics: lithium disilicate provide Natural enamel-like translucency and shade depth

high translucency, natural opalescence and shade matching, making them ideal for visible zones

• Versatility in indications: suitable for single crowns, veneers, inlays/onlays
• Metal-free design: with no metal substructure, there’s no risk of a dark margin at the gumline, and better biocompatibility/allergy resistance
• Strong material: flexural strength in the range of ~360-500 MPa for many blocks, making them reliable for many applications
• Minimally invasive preparation: because the material is strong and can be bonded, it often allows for thinner preparations compared to some older ceramics.

⚠️ Disadvantages of E.max Crown

• Cost: typically higher than more conventional ceramic or metal-ceramic crowns because of material and processing demands
• Thickness / strength limitations: although strong, E.max still has limitations compared to high-strength monolithic zirconia in very high-load posterior or long-span bridge situations
• Shade/stump-blocking limitations: Because of its translucency, if the underlying tooth is very dark or stained, it may show through unless special block materials or masking techniques are used.
• Technique sensitivity: Proper tooth preparation, bonding protocol and thickness are more critical for success; if these aren’t followed, risk of failure increases.
• Limited bridge use in posterior: Literature suggests caution when using E.max for posterior large-span bridges because of higher forces and flexural loads.