State of the Porcelain Market

By LMT Communications, Inc.

Posted Mar 05, 2013 in LMT Surveys

PFMs are still prevalent—for now: High-fusing porcelain systems are still the most popular system, with 85% of respondents having one in their laboratories, and PFM restorations making up, on average, 55% of their workloads. However, 40% of our participants report a decline in the use of their high-fusing ceramic over the past two years.


Also notable: now that titanium can be effectively milled, the use of titanium ceramic systems has doubled, from 8% to 15%.


Metal free is on the rise: More than 60% of survey participants report an increase in the use of IPS e.max pressable lithium disilicate in the past two years; almost 50% note an upsurge in their usage of zirconia layering ceramic.


The growing popularity of these systems as well as milled full contour zirconia restorations continues to erode the PFM market. In 2005, 83% of C&B restorations were metal based; now, that percentage is 55. See box at left for a historical look at the shift from metal-based...

Please Log In or Sign Up (it's free) to read the rest of this article
About The Author

  • LMT Communications, Inc.

    LMT Communications delivers the business strategies, information, dental laboratory news and education that dental laboratory decision-makers need to succeed. In Print. In Person. Online.

Please Log In or Sign Up to post to this article