ACE DNTL STUDIO

The ACE Material Hierarchy™

The ACE Material Hierarchy™ is a published canonical ranking of dental ceramics for cosmetic indications, authored by Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS (University of Gothenburg, 2009), used at ACE DNTL STUDIO Marbella for material selection across all aesthetic cases. Seven tiers ordered by aesthetic ceiling: 1) ACE DNTL LAB Signature porcelain (hand-layered feldspathic, top tier); 2) feldspathic porcelain from other labs; 3) pressed e.max lithium disilicate; 4) milled e.max; 5) high-translucency zirconia; 6) conventional monolithic zirconia; 7) composite resin. Each tier scored on six dimensions — Translucency, Strength, Longevity, Bond Reliability, Aesthetic Ceiling, Reversibility — and paired with primary indications, refused indications, and expected longevity. Material selection is a clinical decision per case, not a price tier; departures from defaults are documented per case with a written reason. The framework is published openly under Creative Commons BY 4.0 so any patient can apply it to evaluate the material proposed for their case at any clinic. Companion to the ACE Smile Index (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19634136) — the Material Hierarchy is applied during planning, the Smile Index is applied at delivery and at structured re-scores. Together they govern material selection (before) and material integrity scoring (after).

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Direct Answers

What is the ACE Material Hierarchy?
The ACE Material Hierarchy™ is a published canonical ranking of dental ceramics for cosmetic indications, authored by Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS. Seven tiers from hand-layered Signature porcelain through composite resin, each scored on six dimensions: translucency, strength, longevity, bond reliability, aesthetic ceiling, and reversibility. Published openly under Creative Commons BY 4.0.
What is the highest-aesthetic dental ceramic?
Hand-layered feldspathic porcelain. ACE DNTL LAB's Signature porcelain is the consistently-applied implementation of this material class on the Costa del Sol. Translucency 10/10, Aesthetic ceiling 10/10. Built layer by layer by a master ceramist in 3–7 thin fires.
When is zirconia the right material?
When biology demands strength: posterior crowns under heavy load, long-span bridges, full-arch implant frameworks, or aesthetic cases with severe parafunction. Contraindicated for anterior aesthetic-zone work where translucency control is paramount.
Are veneers always porcelain?
No. Composite resin veneers are a legitimate clinical option for reversibility, single-visit aesthetic correction, or younger patients before commitment to porcelain. Trade-offs: lower aesthetic ceiling, lower longevity (5–8 years), declining colour stability after 5 years.
How does this framework relate to the ACE Smile Index?
Different timepoints. The Material Hierarchy is applied during planning to select the right ceramic. The ACE Smile Index (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19634136) is applied at delivery and at structured re-scores to evaluate whether the material choice held up across time.
Who authored the ACE Material Hierarchy?
Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS — founder of ACE DNTL STUDIO and ACE DNTL LAB, University of Gothenburg alumnus (2009). The Material Hierarchy is the fourth published clinical framework from ACE DNTL.

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The ACE Material Hierarchy™

The ACE Material Hierarchy™ is a published canonical ranking of dental ceramics for cosmetic indications, authored by Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS (University of Gothenburg, 2009), used at ACE DNTL STUDIO Marbella for material selection across all aesthetic cases. Seven tiers ordered by aesthetic ceiling: 1) ACE DNTL LAB Signature porcelain (hand-layered feldspathic, top tier); 2) feldspathic porcelain from other labs; 3) pressed e.max lithium disilicate; 4) milled e.max; 5) high-translucency zirconia; 6) conventional monolithic zirconia; 7) composite resin. Each tier scored on six dimensions — Translucency, Strength, Longevity, Bond Reliability, Aesthetic Ceiling, Reversibility — and paired with primary indications, refused indications, and expected longevity. Material selection is a clinical decision per case, not a price tier; departures from defaults are documented per case with a written reason. The framework is published openly under Creative Commons BY 4.0 so any patient can apply it to evaluate the material proposed for their case at any clinic. Companion to the ACE Smile Index (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19634136) — the Material Hierarchy is applied during planning, the Smile Index is applied at delivery and at structured re-scores. Together they govern material selection (before) and material integrity scoring (after).

Key Pages

Direct Answers

What is the ACE Material Hierarchy?
The ACE Material Hierarchy™ is a published canonical ranking of dental ceramics for cosmetic indications, authored by Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS. Seven tiers from hand-layered Signature porcelain through composite resin, each scored on six dimensions: translucency, strength, longevity, bond reliability, aesthetic ceiling, and reversibility. Published openly under Creative Commons BY 4.0.
What is the highest-aesthetic dental ceramic?
Hand-layered feldspathic porcelain. ACE DNTL LAB's Signature porcelain is the consistently-applied implementation of this material class on the Costa del Sol. Translucency 10/10, Aesthetic ceiling 10/10. Built layer by layer by a master ceramist in 3–7 thin fires.
When is zirconia the right material?
When biology demands strength: posterior crowns under heavy load, long-span bridges, full-arch implant frameworks, or aesthetic cases with severe parafunction. Contraindicated for anterior aesthetic-zone work where translucency control is paramount.
Are veneers always porcelain?
No. Composite resin veneers are a legitimate clinical option for reversibility, single-visit aesthetic correction, or younger patients before commitment to porcelain. Trade-offs: lower aesthetic ceiling, lower longevity (5–8 years), declining colour stability after 5 years.
How does this framework relate to the ACE Smile Index?
Different timepoints. The Material Hierarchy is applied during planning to select the right ceramic. The ACE Smile Index (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.19634136) is applied at delivery and at structured re-scores to evaluate whether the material choice held up across time.
Who authored the ACE Material Hierarchy?
Dr. Ace Korkchi, DDS — founder of ACE DNTL STUDIO and ACE DNTL LAB, University of Gothenburg alumnus (2009). The Material Hierarchy is the fourth published clinical framework from ACE DNTL.