Choosing the Right Glaze: one family, five ways to finish
Paste, powder, aerosol or airbrush. Fluorescent or not. Zirconia, lithium silicate or PFM. Here's how every glaze in the CGI line differs, and which one belongs on your bench.
The glaze is the last thing the patient sees
A glaze firing seals the surface, sets the final gloss and, depending on the glaze, restores the fluorescence that makes a restoration look alive under every kind of light. Choose the wrong one and you can dull a perfect build-up, lose vitality under club lighting, or add a second firing you didn't need.
CGI manufactures its entire glaze family in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Every product in it answers four questions differently:
Meet the lineup
Four collections, each built for a different workflow.
CrystalCeram® Fluorescent Glaze Paste
The newest glaze in the line, formulated specifically for zirconia and lithium silicate restorations. It paints on clear, so you can see exactly what you're covering, and fires crystal clear with built-in fluorescence.
Its lower thermal expansion (8.5 × 10⁻⁶/°C) and lower transition temperature set it apart from the Universal glazes, and it has its own dedicated firing program for each substrate rather than a single wide range.
- Form
- Ready-to-use paste, 5 g
- CTE
- 8.5 ± 0.5 × 10⁻⁶/°C
- Tg
- 505 °C ± 10
- Insertion
- 300 °C / 572 °F
- Zirconia
- 790 °C / 1454 °F
- Lithium silicate
- 720 °C / 1328 °F
- Rate · Hold
- 40 °C/min · 1 min
CGI Universal Glaze
The workhorse. Universal Glaze is indicated for all glass ceramics, and its wide firing window (750–850 °C) lets you match the glaze firing to whatever ceramic system is on the tray instead of the other way around.
- Powder mixes with CGI Stain & Glaze Liquid to a creamy consistency; buy it by the gram for high-volume labs.
- Paste is ready to dispense and can be thinned with a few drops of liquid.
- Powder
- 5 g · 30 g · 100 g · 1 kg
- Paste
- 5 g
- CTE
- 10.0 ± 0.5 × 10⁻⁶/°C
- Tg
- 530 °C ± 20
- Insertion
- 400 °C / 752 °F
- Firing
- 750–850 °C / 1382–1562 °F
- Rate · Hold
- 40 °C/min · 1 min
CGI Universal Fluorescent Glaze
Same handling and firing window as Universal Glaze, with an optimized level of fluorescence added. It's indicated for zirconia, lithium disilicate and lithium silicate, and helps restorations read like natural teeth under daylight, operatory light and UV.
Because the range is wide, the instructions give two sweet spots: 750–800 °C for pressable and PFM ceramics, and 800–850 °C for zirconia.
- Powder
- 5 g · 30 g · 100 g · 1 kg
- Paste
- 5 g
- CTE
- 10.0 ± 0.5 × 10⁻⁶/°C
- Insertion
- 400 °C / 752 °F
- Pressable / PFM
- 750–800 °C
- Zirconia
- 800–850 °C
- Rate · Hold
- 40 °C/min · 1 min
CGI Spray Glazes
Spray application gives an ultra-thin, even coat in seconds, without softening characterization or filling anatomy. It's the fastest way to glaze a full tray of units at once. The spray glazes cover every substrate: zirconia, lithium silicate, PFM and POM.
- Technique
- ~6 in. away, short sweeping bursts
- CTE
- 10.0 ± 0.5 × 10⁻⁶/°C
- Aerosol
- Insert 300 °C · fire 730–850 °C
- Shake and Glaze
- 1 min dry · insert 400 °C · fire 750–850 °C
- Pressable / PFM
- 750–800 °C
- Zirconia
- 800–850 °C
Why the glaze layer carries the glow
Natural dentin fluoresces a soft blue-white under ultraviolet light. Zirconia and many pressed ceramics don't, so under blacklight, some camera flashes and certain daylight conditions they can look grey or "dead" next to natural teeth.
A fluorescent glaze restores that response in the final layer. Choose CrystalCeram®, Universal Fluorescent, Low Fusing Fluorescent Spray or Shake and Glaze Fluorescent when the substrate lacks fluorescence. Choose standard Universal Glaze when the porcelain underneath already provides it.
Where each glaze fires
CrystalCeram® uses fixed temperatures per substrate; the Universal and spray glazes offer a wide window you tune to the ceramic. The lighter band shows the recommended zirconia range where one is given.
All programs: 40 °C/min heat rate, 1 min hold, vacuum optional. Temperatures are recommendations from CGI's instructions for use; calibrate your furnace and adjust as needed.
Quick comparison
| Glaze | Form | Fluorescent | Indicated for | Firing | CTE (×10⁻⁶/°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CrystalCeram® Fluorescent Glaze Paste | Paste | Yes | Zirconia, lithium silicate | 720 °C LS · 790 °C Zr | 8.5 ± 0.5 |
| Universal Glaze | Powder, paste | No | All glass ceramics | 750–850 °C | 10.0 ± 0.5 |
| Universal Fluorescent Glaze | Powder, paste | Yes | Zirconia, lithium disilicate, lithium silicate | 750–850 °C | 10.0 ± 0.5 |
| Low Fusing Fluorescent Spray | Aerosol | Yes | Zirconia, lithium silicate, PFM, POM | 730–850 °C | 10.0 ± 0.5 |
| Shake and Glaze / Fluorescent | Airbrush mix, 30 ml | Both versions | Zirconia, lithium (di)silicate, PFM, POM | 750–850 °C | 10.0 ± 0.5 |
Pick by case
Getting a flawless glaze firing
Find your glaze
Every CGI glaze ships with full instructions for use and safety data sheets. Questions about a specific ceramic system? Our technical team is happy to help.
