Abstract: The artificial tooth blanks made by series production involve a dentin-colored fired dental ceramic composition including a previously compression-molded hard core and optionally a retention, wherein the size of the artificial tooth blank is reduced over that of the corresponding finished artificial tooth and the artificial tooth blanks do not contain an enamel layer. The retention may involve one or more high-melting shells incorporated by firing and containing high-melting retention pins soldered therein after firing, wherein the retention pins as well as the solder are stable under the melting conditions for dental ceramic compositions for bridges and crowns, and especially so in the presence of air as well.