Ceramics for dental restorations have evolved from fragile materials made from naturally-occurring minerals to high-strength synthetic ceramics of today. Manufacturing techniques have moved from purely manual processing to computer assisted design and manufacture (CAD/CAM). The development has been rapid during the last 20 years and is still ongoing regarding the balance of esthetics and strength, and cementation procedures. The present theme present elements of properties, applications and clinical performance of contemporary dental ceramics.