Cut-Back Zirconia

Cut-back Zirconia is a type of zirconia restoration designed with a framework for the tooth, allowing additional porcelain (or composite) to be applied to recreate natural translucency and color. It is the ideal choice for anterior restorations or cases that require high aesthetic demands, particularly for front teeth or teeth with severe discoloration (e.g., tetracycline staining).

Benefits and Material Evaluation

• Material structure: Monolithic zirconia framework (Y-TZP), selectively reduced in cut-back zones to allow for porcelain layering. Outer layer: Aesthetic porcelain.

• Clinical indications: Ideal for anterior restorations, veneers, high-aesthetic crowns, severely discolored teeth (e.g., tetracycline staining), or aesthetic-zone implant restorations.

• Aesthetics: Offers customizable light reflection, color gradation, and translucency, superior to full-contour zirconia.

• Biocompatibility: Non-irritating to gingival tissues, safe for long-term intraoral use, and highly biocompatible.

Technical Specifications

• Zirconia material thickness before cut-back typically ranges from 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm, depending on clinical requirements and the restoration design.

• After cut-back, the zirconia may be thinned in certain areas (usually the outer surface of the tooth), with a minimum thickness that can go down to 0.4 mm, allowing for proper shaping of the porcelain veneer or aesthetic finishing layer.

• Lab production time: 2–3 days (using a digital file).