Cristobal+ composite.
An indirect composite system used for crowns, inlays, onlays, laminates and bridge work, including wings. Tick Cristobal+ under Type of Crown.
What it is used for
Cristobal+ covers a broader range of applications than most indirect composites — single crowns, inlays and onlays, laminate veneers, and bridge work including bonded wings.
That range is part of its appeal in a general practice: one material family handling several categories, with consistent handling and repair behaviour across them.
It is a laboratory-processed material, so the polymerization, contour and surface finish are all achieved under controlled conditions rather than chairside.
Choosing it over ceramic
The arguments are the same as for any indirect composite: it is kinder to opposing enamel than ceramic, it repairs predictably with direct composite, and it is less brittle in thin section.
The arguments against are wear resistance and long-term colour stability, both of which favour ceramic. Where a restoration is expected to last decades in heavy function, ceramic or metal is the better selection.
The wider comparison is set out in choosing restorative materials.
Bridges and wings
Composite bridge work is a specific application and needs realistic expectations. Connector dimension governs survival exactly as it does in ceramic, and composite requires more bulk at the connector than a high-strength ceramic would.
Bonded wing designs depend entirely on the adhesive interface and on enamel-bounded preparations. Where the abutment surfaces are heavily restored or the field cannot be isolated, the design is being asked to do something it cannot.
For a longer span or a patient with meaningful function, discuss the case before preparation rather than after.
Bonding and finish
Surface treatment differs from ceramic — composite is not etched with hydrofluoric acid in the same way, and the fitting surface is prepared by the laboratory appropriately for adhesive cementation.
As with any bonded restoration, contamination after try-in undoes that preparation. Clean the fitting surface before cementing rather than rinsing and hoping.
Cement selection is covered in cementation considerations.
Laminates and anterior work
Composite laminates are a conservative option for anterior cases where the patient wants improvement without the reduction a ceramic veneer requires, or where a definitive decision is being deferred.
They are more repairable and more forgiving than ceramic, and less durable in colour stability and wear. For a younger patient whose expectations may change, or where the treatment plan may evolve, that trade is often the right one.
Record the preparation shade and send photographs. Composite transmits light differently from ceramic, and the substrate contributes to the result.
Setting expectations
Composite restorations will change over years in a way ceramic does not — surface polish diminishes, and colour shifts slightly with staining from diet.
That is not a failure and it should not be presented as one at review. It is the trade the material makes, and a patient told at the outset accepts it readily.
Where longevity and colour stability are the governing priorities, ceramic is the better selection and worth saying so before treatment.
What to put on the prescription
Tick Cristobal+ and say what the restoration is: crown, inlay, onlay, laminate, bridge or wing. Mark the units on the design chart.
Give the shade with the guide named, the antagonist, and any evidence of parafunction. For bridge work, note the span and select the pontic form.
More in Fixed Restorations
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Digital scans and conventional impressions are both accepted. Cases move by UPS and Purolator, and Fairmont works with practices throughout British Columbia and across Canada.