the present invention is a unique method of providing a glaze finish on a dental construct by applying glazing material over the surface of the construct and maturing the material . in one form , clear , or uncolored , vitreous glaze particles are applied , and the particles fused into a glaze finish . in another form , one or more pigments are admixed in or with the glaze particles . this provides a glaze finish with any desired coloration pattern . it is also possible , of course , to employ inks composed of curable organic materials which are sufficiently durable after radiant curing , such as , mild thermal , or visible light , or ultraviolet to function as the coloration . this option is considered to be encompassed within the concept of glazing , and is particularly useful if the construct is also formed from an organic material . the invention is described with respect to the use of vitreous glaze particles with pigment added , a particularly useful form in which the invention was developed . it will be understood that the same steps would be followed in producing a clear glaze , the difference being omission of the pigment materials . fig1 of the drawing shows a hollow , open - ended enclosure 10 , in the nature of a cap , adapted to use in carrying out the invention . cap 10 will be formed from a shrinkable , organic material . thermally - shrinkable , organic materials are well known and generally preferred . however , materials shrinkable by other forms of radiation are also known , and their use is also contemplated . cap 10 may have the general configuration of a dental construct in conjunction with which it will be used . fig2 shows cap 10 assembled with a typical construct 12 preparatory to carrying out the coloration procedure . construct 12 is shown as an unshaded crown adapted to placement on a patient &# 39 ; s tooth . crown 12 may be shaped in a conventional manner , or may be milled from a glass - ceramic or porcelain block by a cad - cam procedure , such as referred to earlier . as shown in fig1 cap 10 has a pigmented layer 14 applied over its inner surface 16 . this layer is composed of a mixture of a glaze and one or more pigments in particulate form . the glaze may be any conventional vitreous material adapted to being fired on the surface of construct 12 . it will be appreciated that , if a clear glaze is desired , the pigment will be omitted . pigmented layer 14 may be patterned in any desired manner . thus , the amount of pigment , and hence the ultimate color intensity , may be graduated from the open neck end 18 to the tip 20 of the cap . alternatively , where a mixed pigment is used , the mixture ratio may be varied . a variety of other effects may also be achieved . thus , intense underglaze stains may be placed in the grooves along the occlusal surface of the crown 12 prior to application of cap 10 . special effects , such as white check lines , or decalcification spots , may be placed on the cap prior to application . another approach to variable coloration is to employ a set of two or more caps with different color effects on the applied layers 12 . by trimming portions from different caps , custom build - ups may be achieved on a construct 12 . once cap 10 is suitably patterned on its interior surface , it is placed over restoration 12 as shown in fig2 . fig2 is an anterior view , and fig3 a posterior view , of construct 12 positioned within , and enveloped by , cap 10 . the assembly is then introduced into a furnace where it is subjected to a heat schedule . this thermal treatment shrinks cap 10 into tight conformity with surface 22 of crown 12 . the patterned color layer 14 is thus brought into intimate contact with surface 22 . in the course of the heat treatment , it is essential that the organic material of cap 10 be dissipated . further , color layer 14 must remain firmly adherent to the surface of construct 12 in the pattern originally formed on or in cap 10 . the maximum temperature in the heat treating schedule then must be sufficiently high so that the glaze particles in layer 14 soften and form an adherent coating on surface 22 . in addition to being shrinkable then , the material from which cap 10 is formed must be readily separable from the color pattern . thus , cap 10 may be composed of an organic that burns off ( oxidizes ) during the heat treatment . alternatively , it may be a volatile material that vaporizes . it also may be a material that is at least partially physically removable . the essential condition is that cap 10 be dissipated without disturbing the original pattern of layer 12 . where additional color is desired , or if special effects are desired , it is possible to apply additional layers by repeating the process . for example , a restoration may be deemed too light in color after one application . in that case , an additional layer may be applied by simply repeating the entire procedure . alternatively , the second application may be another color thus providing a blend . fig4 illustrates an alternative cap construction 30 . in this embodiment , the glaze particles 32 , with or without pigment added , are incorporated within the body of shrinkable plastic cap 30 . in this event , the plastic material of cap 30 must be removed by oxidation or volatilization . by way of specific example , an uncolored crown was formed from a tetrasilicic fluormica glass - ceramic composition as disclosed in the adair and grossman patents mentioned earlier . a cylindrical length of heat - shrinkable tubing was cut to a size slightly larger than the crown . the tubing was 0 . 5 inch diameter shrink - loc tubing available from sinclaire & amp ; rush , inc . dicor shading porcelain powder was mixed with a medium to form a suspension . a continuous layer of the suspension was applied over the entire inner surface of the tubing length . the coated tubing was dried and placed over the crown on a setter plate . care was taken to have the ends of the tubing extend beyond , or overlap , the crown . the assembly was placed in an oven at 600 ° c . the tube was observed to contract and conform to the external shape of the crown . this forced the interior coating into intimate contact with the irregular surface of the crown . the oven was heated to 850 ° c ., the plastic tube volatilizing in the meantime . the layer of porcelain shading remained on the crown surface and matured to a glossy glaze . upon cooling , the crown was observed to have a continuous glaze of the shading powder fused to its surface .