Introduction: Ceramic is a biomaterial that is very often used in dentistry because its excellent properties. With its color, luster and very important chemical stability, it is beautiful from an aesthetic point of view. In the recent years, patients' demand for non-metallic materials has increased significantly, mainly due to metal phobia or fear of allergy. For these reasons, scientific research has focused mainly on materials such as lithium disilicate and zirconia in order to shed light on the properties, indications and limitations of the new protagonists of the prosthetic scene. The successful production of aesthetic restorations requires adequate knowledge of the instructions for use of the material and of his optical properties. The thesis is focused on the comparison of the two most popular non-metallic materials, lithium disilicate and zirconium dioxide, and on showing their different indications, advantages and disadvantages. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to investigate and present existing research on zirconium dioxide and lithium disilicate glass ceramics. The purpose is also to shed light on the advantages and disadvantages of these two currently most used ceramic materials in dentistry and to compare them with each other. At the same time, research and present how their structure and properties affect the indications and their practical use. Methods: A descriptive and comparative method of work was used in the diploma work with a review of Slovenian, Croatian, English and Italian literature. The literature was searched in the following databases: Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, pubMed, NCBI. Results: We reviewed professional literature and scientific research that discussed the properties of zirconium dioxide and lithium disilicate glass ceramics and compared them with each other using various tests. Discussion and conclusion: Despite all the exceptional properties that modern ceramic materials have, they alone are not sufficient to completely replace the use of metal in dentistry. Between Y-TZP and LDGC, Y-TZP is more often used in practice because its excellent mechanical properties are much more important than the high transparency offered by LDGC. The results of these studies are promising, as researchers continue to research stronger and more resistant ceramic materials that would be transparent enough and, of course, friendly to human tissues.
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