COMPARISONS
Milled vs pressed lithium disilicate restorations
Milled lithium disilicate wins on speed and digital workflow consistency, shipping from an intraoral scan in 3-5 days with sub-25-micron marginal fits. Pressed lithium disilicate wins on anterior esthetics, layering depth, and translucency control for high-shade-match cases.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Milled lithium disilicate wins on speed and digital workflow consistency, shipping from an intraoral scan in 3-5 days with sub-25-micron marginal fits. Pressed lithium disilicate wins on anterior esthetics, layering depth, and translucency control for high-shade-match cases. For posterior single units, mill. For anterior cosmetic cases where shade is the case-killer, press. Both deliver 360-400 MPa flexural strength.
SIDE BY SIDE
Milled lithium disilicate vs Pressed lithium disilicate
| Consideration | Milled lithium disilicate | Pressed lithium disilicate |
|---|---|---|
| Typical lab turnaround | 3-5 business days from digital scan | 7-10 business days (wax-up, invest, press, finish) |
| Workflow origin | Intraoral scan or scanned die, CAD design, CAM mill | Analog or digital wax-up, lost-wax investment, heat-pressed ingot |
| Marginal fit (typical) | 15-25 microns with calibrated mill | 25-50 microns depending on investment expansion |
| Flexural strength | 360-400 MPa (e.max CAD post-crystallization) | 400 MPa (e.max Press) |
| Shade and translucency control | Good. Monolithic blocks in HT, LT, MO, opacities | Excellent. Layered porcelain over pressed core supports anterior gradients |
| Best case type | Posterior single units, premolar onlays, screw-retained crowns | Anterior crowns, veneers, high-esthetic cosmetic cases |
| Repeatability across a batch | High. CAM file reproduces identically | Moderate. Each press cycle has manual variables |
| Cost to the practice | Lower per unit, faster amortization on digital cases | Higher per unit, justified on anterior esthetic outcomes |
| Remake risk driver | Scan quality and prep margin clarity | Investment expansion, press technique, layering shade match |
THE TRADE-OFFS
Where each one earns its place
<p>The decision is rarely about which material is stronger. Both lithium disilicate routes land in the 360-400 MPa range and both are clinically proven for single-unit indications. The decision is workflow speed versus esthetic ceiling, and the case in front of you tells you which one matters more.</p><p>Pick milled lithium disilicate when the restoration is a posterior single unit, a premolar onlay, or a screw-retained crown where occlusion and fit matter more than shade gradient. Choose milled when the case comes in on a digital scan and the practice needs the seat appointment booked inside two weeks. Go with milled when you are restoring multiple posterior units in the same arch and batch consistency protects the occlusal scheme.</p><p>Choose pressed lithium disilicate when the case is an anterior crown or veneer where shade match is the case-killer. Opt for pressed when the patient's adjacent dentition has incisal translucency, halo effects, or internal characterization that monolithic blocks cannot replicate. Recommend pressed when the referring dentist has flagged the case as high-esthetic and the chair time saved on milling is not worth the esthetic compromise.</p>
<p>Dani Dental runs both workflows in-house at the Tempe lab. Posterior single units route to our 5-axis mills, ship in 3-5 business days, and the case technician's direct line ships with every box. Anterior cosmetic cases route to our pressed-ceramic bench, where layered porcelain over the pressed core lets us match the incisal characterization patients with high lip-line cases need. Both workflows share the same named-technician accountability and the same sub-2.5% remake target.</p><p>Honest read: if your case is a single posterior crown on a routine prep, almost any digital lab with calibrated mills will deliver a clinically acceptable result, and your decision is turnaround time and communication, not material. Where Dani earns the case is the anterior pressed work and the full-arch ceramic planning conversations where the lab joins case design before the prep is cut.</p>
IN PRACTICE
How it plays out on real cases
Worked case examples for this comparison are coming. Send us your case and we will show you exactly how each option would play out.
GO DEEPER
Read the full guide on all procedures
This comparison sits inside a larger procedure. The pillar page covers materials, turnaround, and how we build it to your spec.
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