The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a lithium silicate glass or a lithium silicate glass ceramic which comprise cerium ions and are suitable in particular for the preparation of dental restorations, the fluorescence properties of which largely correspond to those of natural teeth. The invention also relates to a lithium silicate glass and a lithium silicate glass ceramic which can be obtained using the method according to the invention, the use thereof as dental material and in particular for the preparation of dental restorations, as well as a glass-forming composition which is suitable for use in the method according to the invention.

Slip for the stereolithographic preparation of ceramic or glass ceramic shaped parts which comprises (a) at least one radically polymerizable monomer, (b) at least one photoinitiator, (c) ceramic and/or glass ceramic particles and (d) at least one non-ionic surfactant.

Lithium silicate-wollastonite glass ceramics are described which are characterized by a controllable translucence and can be easily machined and therefore can be used in particular as restoration material in dentistry.

A process for the preparation of composite filler particles, comprising: (a) coating a particulate filler having a median particle size (D50) of from 1 to 1200 nm; (b) agglomerating the coated particulate filler, for providing a granulation of the coated particulate filler wherein the granulation contains the coated particulate filler particles whereby the at least one coating layer may be crosslinked by crosslinking groups obtained by reacting the reactive groups and optionally a further crosslinking agent.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a ceramic article, the process comprising the steps of providing a printing sol, the printing sol comprising solvent, nano-sized particles, radiation curable monomer(s) and photoinitiator, the printing sol having a viscosity of less than 500 mPa*s at 23 C., processing the printing sol as construction material in an additive manufacturing process to obtain a 3-dim article being in a gel state, the 3-dim article having a Volume A, transferring the 3-dim article being in a gel state to a 3-dim article being in an aerogel state, heat treating the 3-dim article to obtain a sintered 3-dim ceramic article, the ceramic article having a Volume F, Volume A of the 3-dim article in a gel state being more than 500% of Volume F of the ceramic article in its sintered state. The invention also relates to a ceramic article obtainable according to such a process. The ceramic article can have the shape of a dental or orthodontic article.

Systems, methods, components, and materials are disclosed for stereolithographic fabrication of three-dimensional, dense objects. A resin including a first binder, a second binder, and dispersed particles can be exposed an activation light source to cure at least one of the binders in a layer-by-layer process to form a green object including the first binder, the second binder, and the particles. A dense object, such as a metal object, a ceramic object, or a combination thereof, can be formed from the green object by thermally processing the particles and removing the first binder through a primary debinding process, removing the second binder through a secondary debinding process different from the primary debinding process.

Systems, methods, components, and materials are disclosed for stereolithographic fabrication of three-dimensional objects. A resin including particles dispersed in a binder system can be substantially transparent to light of a wavelength sufficient to cure at least one component of the binder system. A green object can be formed by activation light penetrating into each layer of a plurality of layers of the resin in a layer-by-layer process to crosslink, polymerize, or both, at least one component of the binder system in successive layers of the resin to one another. Through subsequent processing, the green object can be densified to form a metal object, a ceramic object, or a combination thereof.

Systems, methods, and components are disclosed for controlling layer separation in stereolithographic fabrication of three-dimensional objects. Each layer of the three-dimensional object can be cured and separated in discrete portions to facilitate controlling forces in the layers of a three-dimensional object. For example, controlling curing and separation of layers of a three-dimensional object according to the systems, methods, and components disclosed can facilitate accurately forming the three-dimensional object from cured particle-loaded resins. More specifically, particle loading can decrease the shear strength of the cured resin and, thus, controlling the forces exerted on a given layer of a cured particle-loaded resin can be particularly useful for reducing the likelihood of deformation in a three-dimensional object including the particles. In turn, the accurately formed three-dimensional object including the particles can be densified to form a dimensionally accurate finished part.

The invention relates to the use of a printing sol as construction material in an additive manufacturing process for producing a 3-dim article, the printing sol comprising solvent(s), nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles in an amount from 2 to 25 vol.-% with respect to the volume of the sol, the average primary particle size of the nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles being in a range up to 50 nm, a first monomer being a polymerizable surface modification agent represented by formula A-B, with A being capable of attaching to the surface of the nano-sized crystalline zirconia particles and B being a radiation curable group, optionally a second monomer, the second monomer comprising at least one radiation curable moiety but no acidic or silane group(s), photo initiator(s). The invention also relates to a ceramic article obtainable according to such a process.

Provided are dental articles, and methods of making articles, having an aesthetic inorganic coating based on zirconia at least partially stabilized with yttrium oxide, calcium oxide, cerium oxide, or magnesium oxide. Stabilized zirconia coatings were found to provide a smooth, low friction surface having high abrasion resistance. These coatings are particularly applicable to orthodontic appliances. While virgin stabilized zirconia coatings can often have an undesirable color cast, it was discovered that this color cast can be substantially eliminated by heat treating the coated appliance in an oxygenated environment. The combination of depositing a stabilized zirconia coating and subsequently heat treating to decolorize the coating provides a surprisingly robust, stable, low-friction coating that is also aesthetic.