Case produced at Khai Nguyen Dental Lab on the treating dentist’s prescription, published on Instagram @khainguyendentallab on 2 June 2025. No patient-identifying information is included.
Case details
| Indication | Veneers on teeth 14 to 24 combined with zirconia crowns on teeth 11 and 21 |
|---|---|
| Materials | IPS e.max Press (veneers) and IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime (crowns) |
| Challenge | Matching shade across two different materials within the same smile arc |
| Image source | Instagram @khainguyendentallab, 2 June 2025 |
Above: the two central incisors are zirconia crowns, the remaining units are pressed ceramic veneers; from the frontal view the boundary is not detectable.
Why two materials in one arch
The two central incisors had lost too much structure for veneers and required full crowns, while the remaining teeth had enough enamel for veneers. This is a very common situation, and also the one most likely to show: zirconia crowns and pressed ceramic veneers differ in refractive index, opacity and the way they reflect light. If the laboratory treats each type separately, the two central incisors will stand out from the arch — usually more opaque and brighter.
The principle we apply to combination cases: each unit gets a core chosen for its own substrate (multilayer zirconia over a dark preparation, pressed ceramic for veneers on enamel), but the outermost layer of every unit uses the same layering ceramic system and the same firing schedule. That way the outer surface, where light is reflected, is identical across the whole arch.
Laboratory workflow
- Record the stump shade of each tooth to determine core opacity individually for the two crowns.
- Design the whole arch at once, harmonising outline, facial contour and incisal length between crowns and veneers.
- Produce in parallel: mill and sinter the ZirCAD Prime crowns with a facial cutback, press the e.max veneers also with a cutback.
- Layer the outer surface in one pass across all eight units with the same ceramic system, fired in the same batch.
- Inspect under several light sources and from several angles, especially oblique, since that is where a difference in opacity shows most clearly.
Lessons for combination veneer and crown cases
- Send the whole group on one prescription and in one batch, so the laboratory can layer and fire them together. Splitting into two batches almost always produces a shade mismatch.
- Allow the laboratory to cut back both crowns and veneers. A monolithic stained zirconia crown is very hard to match against a layered veneer beside it.
- Reduce enough on the facial surface of the crowns for a masking layer plus a layering layer, without making the central incisors thicker than the neighbouring teeth.
See also zirconia crowns and veneers combined over uneven preparation shades, and full-mouth rehabilitation combining several restoration types.
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