Dental restorations such as crowns, are made from lithium silicate glass ceramic that is heated and pressed onto a metal substrate, the latter being shaped to an impression or scan of the area of the mouth to receive the restoration. The metal substrate is made from an alloy selected to exhibit a coefficient of thermal expansion which is slightly greater than the CTE of the lithium silicate. In a preferred embodiment, the CTE of the lithium silicate glass ceramic is in the range of 11.5 to 12.5 and the alloy is selected to have a CTE of 12 to 13.5. A palladium tin alloy provides that CTE in the preferred embodiment.

A method of infusing silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) in a crystalline state into a structure comprising SiO.sub.2 in a non-crystalline amorphous state is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, a first material comprising SiO.sub.2 is heated to a melting point, converting the SiO.sub.2 from a crystalline state into a non-crystalline amorphous state. A second material comprising SiO.sub.2 is then applied to the first material while the first material is at a temperature that is hot enough to render the first material pliable, but not so hot as to convert the SiO.sub.2 in the second material from a crystalline state into a non-crystalline state. The first material is then cooled slowly over a period of time to relieve internal stresses introduced during the manufacturing process.

A method of infusing silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) in a crystalline state into a structure comprising SiO.sub.2 in a non-crystalline amorphous state is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, a first material comprising SiO.sub.2 is heated to a melting point, converting the SiO.sub.2 from a crystalline state into a non-crystalline amorphous state. A second material comprising SiO.sub.2 is then applied to the first material while the first material is at a temperature that is hot enough to render the first material pliable, but not so hot as to convert the SiO.sub.2 in the second material from a crystalline state into a non-crystalline state. The first material is then cooled slowly over a period of time to relieve internal stresses introduced during the manufacturing process.

An article includes a glass substrate and an insert within the glass substrate, the surface roughness (Ra) of the glass substrate and the insert is about 0.05 m to about 0.2 m.

An article includes a glass substrate and an insert within the glass substrate, the surface roughness (Ra) of the glass substrate and the insert is about 0.05 m to about 0.2 m.