AWARD WINNING PRODUCT

DENTAL ADVISOR, which annually honors as Top Product or Preferred Products items deemed by the publication’s consultants to deliver the best practice-based performance in their categories, singled out PANAVIA^™ Veneer LC for a Research Award in the Lab Performer: Veneer Cement category in its January/February 2024 edition. This particular award is given to products that performed exceptionally well when tested independently in Dental Advisor Laboratories.

ABOUT THE PRODUCT

PANAVIA™ Veneer LC is a specialized veneer cement designed to provide exceptional bond strength to various substrates, along with outstanding gloss retention and wear resistance. The cement utilizes smaller-diameter spherical filler particles, facilitating easy dispensing from the syringe and excellent flowability for minimal film thickness. All of these attributes contribute to virtually no change in gloss or surface appearance of veneer margins over time.

WHAT WAS RESEARCHED

The basis of PANAVIA^™ Veneer LC’s selection this year was research that compared three esthetic veneer cements, including PANAVIA^™ Veneer LC, for bond strength, adhesion properties, gloss retention, and wear resistance. The investigators’ testing of these attributes reflects the challenges such products must meet – “Ideally, esthetic veneer cements should have a long working time, curing on demand, excellent color stability, and high strength”.

To assess bond strength to multiple substrates, the cements were subjected to six months of artificial aging to dentin, enamel, IPS e.max CAD, and Zirconia using thermocycling. To test wear resistance after toothbrush erosion, the testing method involved measuring depth of wear, change in surface roughness, and change in gloss based on a simulation of about 5.5 years of regular toothbrush use.

EVALUATION RESULTS

The investigators reported that PANAVIA^™ Veneer LC “had the best gloss retention of the three cements tested and a very even wear pattern,” noting further that “having limited surface roughness after toothbrush abrasion can help lower staining and bacterial adhesion.” Overall, they said, “The PANAVIA^™ Veneer LC cement system showed excellent adhesion properties and exceptional gloss retention and wear resistance,” concluding, “Due to its excellent properties, PANAVIA^™ Veneer LC Paste can meet the most challenging esthetic conditions of veneer cementation.”

COMPLETE REPORT

Would you like to read the full report¹ shared by Dental Advisor? Download the pdf now!  

ABOUT DENTAL ADVISOR

Awards conferred by US-based DENTAL ADVISOR were originally introduced to help busy practitioners make sense of the numerous new solutions indicated for less invasive techniques and standardized or simplified procedures, ultimately, to achieve better outcomes on a regular basis.

• To determine items to be named Top Products and Preferred Products, DENTAL ADVISOR conducts practice-based clinical evaluations and product performance tests shortly after product launch. It publishes results annually online in its January/February issue to help potential users identify high-quality new dental materials and determine which among them are best suited to fulfill their individual requirements.

¹ Cowen M, Powers JM. Translating the Science: Veneer Cement Bond Strength Durability and Resistance. Dental Advisor. 40:36;2023.

Is it safe to use the single-component PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal to lute virtually all your indirect restorations?

Did you ever ask yourself how many components are really needed to safely cement your silicate-ceramic, zirconia or resin-based restorations? With PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal, a single component is usually sufficient. Containing an unreacted silane coupling agent – the LCSi monomer – and the original MDP monomer, the dual-cure, self-adhesive resin cement adheres to tooth structure and to various restorative materials including the popular silica-based ceramics without the need for a separate primer.

For those wondering how it works and if it really works as well as desired, Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. has created a scientific brochure. It contains in-depth information about the drivers of chemical adhesion contained in PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal and its characteristic properties. The main part, however, focuses on the results of scientific studies – most of which have been conducted in external laboratories. With the aid of artificial aging, different testing devices and various experimental set-ups, the researchers have checked the resin cement thoroughly. The study results shed light on the behaviour of the material when used in the context of bonding to different restorative materials and different types of tooth structure. Self- and light-curing modes are compared, aging effects investigated and different moisture conditions taken into account.

As a whole, the collected data allows for a precise prediction of the clinical behaviour of PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal. This valuation has already been confirmed by clinical experience of dental practitioners from all around the world. Moreover, the results of a first clinical study, which is also found in this compilation, are a proof of its exceptional performance.

Download the brochure to learn more about the properties and behaviour of the single-component universal resin cement!

ADHESIVE LUTING: A DRIVER OF INNOVATION

What would modern restorative treatments be like without the availability of high-performance (self-)adhesive resin cements? Tooth preparations would still be much more invasive due to the need for sufficient mechanical retention between the tooth and the restoration. At the same time, it would be impossible to restore teeth with many innovative, tooth-coloured materials such as low-strength ceramics and composite. In short, restorative dentistry would be much less developed than it is today.

When the first resin cements were introduced several decades ago, however, the achieved progress came at the expense of simplicity: Adhesive luting procedures were highly complex and the many different components quite technique sensitive. Luckily, this has changed over the years due to continued development efforts ultimately resulting in the products that are currently available. The resin cement line-up of Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. consists of three main products: the dual-cure three-component system PANAVIA™ V5, the single-component dual-cure universal resin cement PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal and the light-curing PANAVIA™ Veneer LC.

For those who would like to learn more about the three systems, this 10^th issue of the BOND Magazine is definitely worth reading. It reveals important details about the 40-year history of the PANAVIA™ brand, sheds light on the strengths of each resin cement to facilitate indication-specific cement selection and provides in-depth information about their clinical use. In addition, two articles are dedicated to hot topics around the luting of restorations made of zirconia, a popular restorative material that some still consider to be unsuitable for adhesive luting procedures. For everyone wondering how it is possible to successfully lute minimally invasive restorations made of zirconia, the article titled “Innovative resin cements forming the basis of minimally invasive prosthodontics” is highly recommended. Those unsure about how to proceed with 5Y-TZP should read the article “How to cement restorations made of high-translucency zirconia”. Interesting information about cleaning options prior to adhesive luting rounds out the content of this magazine.

Click here to read. Enjoy reading!

Start Reading: BOND | VOLUME 10 | 10/2023

Previous versions:

BOND | VOLUME 9 | 08/2022

BOND | VOLUME 8 | 12/2021

BOND | VOLUME 7 | 10/2020

Photo credits to Giuliano Moustakis

Can you imagine a world without multi-layered zirconia? The invention of a zirconia material with natural colour gradation and well-balanced translucency and strength led to fundamental changes in the way zirconia-based restorations are produced. When the first product of its kind – KATANA™ Zirconia ML – was introduced to the dental market exactly ten years ago, dental technicians all over the world suddenly started rethinking their manufacturing concepts.

Since then, the trend towards a decreased thickness of the porcelain layer, a limiting of this layer to the vestibular area and the production of monolithic restorations is clearly perceivable. Technicians have developed their own concepts of micro-layering, which allow for more patient-centred approaches. This is also due to the fact that the total wall thicknesses of the restorations may be decreased without compromising the aesthetics. The line-up of multi-layered zirconia currently available from Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. (KATANA™ Zirconia UTML, STML, HTML Plus and KATANA™ Zirconia YML with additional translucency and strength gradation) enables users to make indication-related material choices for the production of restorations that are precisely aligned to the individual demands of each case.

The reasons to choose KATANA™ quality

But why choose KATANA™ Zirconia instead of any other multi-layered zirconia disc? According to experienced users of the KATANA™ Zirconia Multi-Layered series, there are many reasons to opt for KATANA™.

For Jean Chiha, owner at North Star Dental Laboratories and Milling Center in Santa Ana, California, it is the combination of optical and mechanical properties that makes the difference: 

“KATANA™ Zirconia is the game changing material with well-balanced esthetics and strength!”. 

Naoki Hayashi, president of Ultimate Styles Dental Laboratory in Irvine, California, aesthetics is the most decisive argument to opt for the discs from Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. He states:

“KATANA™ Zirconia discs offer trusted esthetics which gives me confidence in my clinical cases”.

Naoto Yuasa, chief ceramist at Otani Dental Clinic in Tokyo, adds predictability as an important factor:

“KATANA™ sustains my passions for aesthetic restorations and those of a predictable future in the long run”, whereas dependability is the key element.

For Hiroki Goto, the laboratory manager at Sheets and Paquette Dental Practice in Newport Beach, California reports:

“Without KATANA™ there is no pride. Haven’t experienced it yet? You have to see how reliable it is!”

Finally, we have asked Kazunobu Yamada, a pioneer in making porcelain laminate veneers using complementary color techniques and a first-hour user of KATANA™ Zirconia, what comes to his mind when thinking about KATANA™ Zirconia. According to the president of CUSP Dental Laboratory in Nagoya City, there is a clear link between the product name and its characteristics:

“Did you know that the word "KATANA" also means "protection against misfortune and evil"? Katana zirconia, the culmination of many years of research and development by Kuraray Noritake, has an unparalleled quality. KATANA™, for me, is truly "Protection for all technicians".”

The origin of well-balanced properties

It seems that the KATANA™ Zirconia Multi-Layered line-up stands out due to set of valuable properties enabling a dental technician to produce beautiful, high-quality restorations every time. The secret of success lies in meticulous raw material selection and controlled processing from the powder to the pre- sintered blank carried out at the production facilities of Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. in Japan. They provide for the high product quality that is responsible for the materials’ outstanding behaviour supporting the best possible outcomes.

Em 1976, a Kuraray introduziu o seu primeiro monómero adesivo - o monómero de fosfato Fenil-P. Nos anos seguintes, o compromisso da empresa com a investigação e desenvolvimento levou a esforços contínuos para melhorar e aperfeiçoar a estrutura molecular deste monómero. A Kuraray acabou por atingir este objetivo ao criar uma molécula com maior capacidade de aderência à estrutura dentária, baixa solubilidade e eficácia na ligação ao metal: o monómero MDP.

Desenvolvido e patenteado pela Kuraray em 1981, o monómero MDP continua a ser, até hoje, o principal monómero funcional para uma adesão fiável a vários substratos, incluindo o esmalte e a dentina. A investigação tem demonstrado repetidamente que os produtos que utilizam este monómero criam adesões duradouras e estáveis a longo prazo aos tecidos dentários, metais não nobres e cerâmica de zircónia. Em suma, é difícil saber onde estaria a dentisteria dentária adesiva sem o monómero MDP.

Um nível de pureza inigualável

Um dos segredos subjacentes ao êxito do monómero MDP da Kuraray Noritake é a sua natureza única de alta qualidade. A patente que a Kuraray detinha sobre o monómero expirou, abrindo o mercado a outros fabricantes para sintetizarem o seu próprio MDP. No entanto, um estudo realizado por Yoshihara et al.¹ mostrou que, dos três monómeros MDP adesivos que examinaram, as diferenças nos níveis de pureza eram visíveis e afetavam a intensidade da nano-capa e a força de adesão resultante. Sem surpresa, a medida da força de adesão apresentada pelo MDP original e altamente purificado da Kuraray Noritake foi a mais elevada.

"É muito claro que o monómero MDP é um dos monómeros mais eficazes disponíveis, dado o seu potencial de ligação química primária à hidroxiapatite", afirmou o Prof. Bart Van Meerbeek, uma das principais autoridades em agentes de adesão dentária, numa entrevista ao Dental Tribune International.

"Essencialmente, um adesivo universal que contenha uma elevada concentração de monómero MDP muito puro deverá ter o melhor desempenho", acrescentou, quando questionado sobre os sistemas de adesão universais.

Um monómero com muitas aplicações

O primeiro produto da Kuraray a utilizar o monómero MDP foi o cimento de resina PANAVIA EX. Introduzido em 1983, o PANAVIA EX tornou-se rapidamente conhecido como um facilitador de uma adesão fiável. A família PANAVIA de cimentos resinosos adesivos, incluindo o PANAVIA V5 e o PANAVIA SA Cement Universal, continua a utilizar o monómero MDP para proporcionar uma adesão de primeira classe aos profissionais de medicina dentária em todo o mundo.

Naturalmente, o monómero MDP constitui a espinha dorsal de uma série de produtos da atual gama de sistemas de adesão CLEARFIL da Kuraray Noritake Dental, como o padrão de referência CLEARFIL SE BOND 2, um agente de união suave de dois passos, autocondicionante e fotopolimerizável. O CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick, o agente de adesão dentária universal de um só passo da empresa, utiliza a tecnologia de adesão rápida. A combinação sinérgica do monómero MDP original e dos monómeros de amida hidrofílicos cria uma adesão duradoura mais rápida e mais fácil do que nunca.

Há mais de 40 anos que existem provas, e a conclusão é clara: o monómero MDP da Kuraray Noritake Dental mudou a adesão dentária para melhor.

Referências

1. Yoshihara K. et al. Functional monomer impurity affects adhesive performance. Dent Mater. 2015 Dec;31(12):1493–1501.

Atualmente, os utilizadores de zircónia dentária têm muito por onde escolher. Inúmeros fabricantes oferecem materiais de zircónia que diferem nas suas propriedades mecânicas e ópticas e na gama de indicações. O que não é evidente à primeira vista é que os produtos disponíveis também diferem no que respeita à qualidade da oferta dos materiais CAD/CAM em bruto. A qualidade dos materiais em bruto depende muito da qualidade das matérias-primas e é afetada por diferentes aspetos durante o processamento, prensagem e pré-sinterização. Isto tem um impacto enorme na qualidade da superfície, na estabilidade das margens, no ajuste e nos requisitos de processamento das restaurações fresadas.

Produção de matérias-primas

A zircónia dentária pré-colorida é normalmente constituída por óxidos metálicos, incluindo óxido de zircónio, óxido de ítrio e óxido de alumínio, e também aditivos como aglutinantes e pigmentos ou iões coloridos. A maioria dos fabricantes de zircónia dentária obtém o pó pré-fabricado a partir de um parceiro externo da indústria, sendo a opção mais popular a Tosoh Corporation. Ao contrário, a Kuraray Noritake Dental baseia‑se num processo interno do princípio ao fim. Isto inclui a produção e adição dos componentes que formam a inovadora tecnologia multicapa da empresa para uma obter uma estrutura policromática em bruto e - no caso da "KATANA™ Zirconia" YML - obter translucidez adicional e gradação da resistência à flexão.

Na Kuraray Noritake Dental, o pó é produzido internamente.

Uma vez que mais etapas de produção de pó são realizadas internamente, a empresa tem controlo total sobre a qualidade das matérias-primas, sobre o tamanho de grão e a pureza da formulação. Isto também permite um alinhamento exato das propriedades mecânicas e ópticas do produto para conseguir uma transição suave de uma capa para a seguinte. O resultado é uma estrutura de cores sem descontinuidades e uma excelente correspondência das cores dos discos policromáticos com as cores do guia de cores VITA clássico A1-D4.

Nos materiais que combinam diferentes concentrações de ítria numa única peça em bruto, podem ser tomadas medidas internas adicionais de alinhamento. No caso do "KATANA™ Zirconia" YML, foi desenvolvida uma matéria-prima completamente nova para proporcionar uma taxa de contração uniforme e coeficientes harmonizados de expansão térmica em toda a peça em bruto e, assim, levar à perfeição a gradação da resistência à flexão.

As propriedades das restaurações de zircónia que são afetadas pela qualidade e composição do pó incluem a translucidez e o aspeto da cor, a resistência à flexão, o comportamento de envelhecimento e o desempenho da sinterização.

Prensagem do material em bruto

Os discos e blocos de zircónia utilizados para o processamento CAD/CAM são normalmente produzidos por prensagem uniaxial e isostática. No processo de compactação uniaxial, a pressão é aplicada ao pó a partir de uma direção (uniaxial) ou de duas direções (biaxial), enquanto o processo de compactação isostática envolve uma pressão praticamente igual aplicada de todos os lados. Por conseguinte, a prensagem isostática resulta normalmente numa distribuição mais uniforme da densidade em toda a peça em bruto e numa maior homogeneidade do material. Estes fatores são pré-requisitos para um comportamento previsível de processamento e sinterização e afetam o ajuste da restauração final. Para obter propriedades mecânicas e ópticas ótimas do material de zircónia, é essencial evitar grandes porosidades, bolsas de ar e impurezas causadas por partículas transportadas pelo ar que ficam presas durante a prensagem.

Na Kuraray Noritake Dental, um processo de prensagem único e extremamente meticuloso consegue uma distribuição uniforme da pressão e um baixo risco de contaminação por partículas transportadas pelo ar. Este procedimento específico reduz as forças de gravitação e contribui para uma densidade tão elevada quanto possível do material de zircónia. Todos os processos de preparação de alto nível, desde a produção da matéria-prima até à prensagem, são responsáveis pela elevada estabilidade das margens e pela qualidade da superfície das restaurações fresadas a partir de "KATANA™ Zirconia".

Pré-sinterização

O procedimento de pré-sinterização é necessário na medida em que confere aos blocos prensados a estabilidade necessária para poderem ser maquinados com ferramentas de fresagem. O perfil de temperatura selecionado e a duração do ciclo de pré-sinterização determinam a resistência do material e as propriedades de processamento e têm impacto no processo de sinterização final.

O procedimento único de pré-sinterização efetuado nas unidades de produção da Kuraray Noritake Dental produz peças em bruto que são estáveis no seu estado pré-sinterizado. Embora mais estável, o "KATANA™ Zirconia" pré-sinterizado é maquinável com ferramentas de fresagem comuns com revestimento de diamante, sem qualquer risco acrescido de quebra ou maior desgaste da ferramenta.

Sinterização rápida no laboratório

O procedimento único tem um impacto positivo na suavidade da superfície após a fresagem e pode reduzir significativamente os tempos de sinterização. No laboratório de prótese dentária, os tempos de sinterização podem ser reduzidos para 54 minutos* para restaurações unitárias e pontes de até três elementos - uma opção interessante para casos urgentes e repetições.

*O material é retirado do forno a 800 °C.

O YML "KATANA™ Zirconia" foi sinterizado rapidamente (programa de sinterização de 90 minutos), enquanto os discos dos concorrentes foram sinterizados utilizando programas de sinterização típicos de um dia para o outro, adequados para o material específico. Mesmo com uma sinterização de 90 minutos, o KATANA™ Zirconia YML apresenta propriedades ópticas superiores em comparação com os principais concorrentes.

São oferecidos programas de sinterização uniformes para toda a série multicapas "KATANA™ Zirconia"

Visão geral dos protocolos de sinterização recomendados.

Sinterização rápida no consultório

Ao utilizar o bloco "KATANA™ Zirconia" com o sistema CEREC da Dentsply Sirona, é possível sinterizar coroas unitárias ou pontes de até três elementos em 18-30 minutos sem comprometer as propriedades mecânicas ou ópticas.

Os blocos "KATANA™ Zirconia" apresentam propriedades ópticas superiores após 18 minutos de sinterização em comparação com amostras de matérias-primas dos principais concorrentes após programas de sinterização de 30 e 60 minutos concebidos pela Kuraray Noritake Dental, com base nas recomendações do fabricante.

Propriedades únicas da "KATANA™ Zirconia"

Em conjunto, estes esforços realizados pela Kuraray Noritake Dental para produzir zircónia dentária de alta qualidade fazem toda a diferença. A série "KATANA™ Zirconia" - "KATANA™ Zirconia" Yttria Multi Layered (YML), Ultra Translucent Multi Layered (UTML), Super Translucent Multi Layered (STML), High Translucent Multi Layered Plus (HTML Plus) e KATANA™ Zirconia High Translucent Mono Layered (HT) - tem uma estrutura homogénea de alta densidade com baixa porosidade e um elevado nível de pureza. Além disso, o "KATANA™ Zirconia" YML oferece uma estrutura contínua, sem linhas de transição, apesar da gradação da resistência à flexão. Todas estas propriedades otimizam o desempenho das peças em bruto durante a maquinação.

Imagens MEV de "KATANA™ Zirconia" não polida e de um material da concorrência com uma ampliação de 33×. As quatro imagens de cada material mostram a estrutura da superfície em diferentes áreas de uma coroa de um molar. Em todas as áreas, a superfície da restauração feita com o material da concorrência é mais áspera e apresenta mais porosidade do que a superfície da coroa de "KATANA™ Zirconia" diretamente após a fresagem, de acordo com os resultados da investigação do Dr. Josef Kunkela. Um dos fatores que contribui para este resultado da "KATANA™ Zirconia" é o disco em bruto mais densamente prensado e com tamanhos de grão mais pequenos. (Cortesia da Academia de Investigação Kunkela pelo Dr. Josef Kunkela).

Rugosidade da superfície

Um comportamento otimizado durante o processamento produz margens de restauração regulares, superfícies lisas e um ajuste preciso das restaurações. Este último aspeto deve-se ao facto de o comportamento de fresagem e a contração volumétrica durante a sinterização final serem altamente previsíveis, de modo que um utilizador que projete um espaço para o cimento de 20 μm obterá exatamente o que deseja. Graças ao grande controlo das propriedades ópticas e à excelente correspondência com as cores VITA clássicas A1-D4, o "KATANA™ Zirconia" é considerado uma das opções de zircónia dentária mais estéticas disponíveis no mercado.

Excelente ajuste marginal

Imagens MEV que mostram o ajuste de restaurações realizadas com dois materiais diferentes (dissilicato de lítio e "KATANA™ Zirconia" Block STML) num pilar dentário. A restauração de "KATANA™ Zirconia" mostra uma margem mais regular e um ajuste mais preciso (com um espaço para o cimento de 19-21 μm) do que a coroa de dissilicato de lítio (espaço para o cimento 26-45 μm). (Cortesia da Academia de Investigação Kunkela pelo Dr. Josef Kunkela).

Margens extremamente regulares de uma coroa de "KATANA™ Zirconia" após a fresagem, o que também é um resultado da estrutura favorável do material.

Para garantir todas as propriedades desejadas do material, incluindo a estética e a resistência, uma coisa é essencial: a maquinação efetuada no laboratório de prótese dentária - fresagem e sinterização - tem de respeitar os protocolos recomendados. Isto significa que a máquina de fresagem e o forno devem ser limpos e calibrados regularmente, o que proporciona as condições para um processamento otimizado da zircónia desde o pó até à restauração dentária final, fiel à realidade.

Mathias Fernandez Y Lombardi

Gestor Científico da UE Cerâmica dentária e materiais CAD/CAM

Kuraray Europe GmbH

Interview with Andreas Chatzimpatzakis

Fewer bakes, fewer ceramic powders - there is clearly a trend toward simplification in the production of zirconia-based prosthetic work. This is also true for implant-based restorations, which often involve gum parts. DT Andreas Chatzimpatzakis, international trainer for Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc., and the owner of ACH Dental Laboratory in Athens, Greece, shares his approach to high aesthetics in implant prosthodontics in the following conversation.

You are a user of the CERABIEN™ ZR portfolio from the outset. When did you test the products for the first time and why?

Well, it was many years ago when I finished my very first zirconia-based restoration. The reason to test CERABIEN™ ZR was that when I asked the dental technician who had milled the framework which porcelain system to use. He suggested to use CERABIEN™ ZR, which I did. I was immediately impressed by the system and by the outcome I was able to achieve on the first attempt.

Did you ever test any other porcelain systems for ceramic layering?

Yes. Before I becoming an international trainer for Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc., I had the opportunity to test many other porcelain systems for layering on zirconia. Based on this experience, I can say that CERABIEN™ ZR is unique and the best system I have ever used. The reason is that its translucency and chroma are extremely close to natural teeth. In addition, due to a controlled firing shrinkage, a One-Bake Technique may be employed even in long-span restorations.

Your hands-on demonstration at the Kuraray Noritake Dental booth during the IDS 2023 in Cologne focused on White and Pink Aesthetics achieved with CERABIEN™ ZR. Is there a specific concept you use?

Nowadays, everyone producing dental restorations – no matter whether based on natural teeth or on implants – is confronted with increasing aesthetic demands of patients and dental practitioners. The high demands are developed because life-like restorations and cosmetic dental treatment outcomes are presented everywhere in the web and on social media. The showcased quality of outcomes is simply expected, even if the financial budget is limited. To be able to fulfil these demands in the field of implant-based prosthodontics, I have developed an approach that allows me to achieve high aesthetics with little effort. My concept is based on using not too many ceramic powders. For extra chroma and special characterization, I rely on the power of the internal live stain technique, first introduced by Hitoshi Aoshima-sensei.

Please summarize the most important details of your presentation.

The first important detail is the design and characterization of the framework. Before sintering, I apply Esthetic Colorant for KATANA™ Zirconia. After the sintering process, shade base stain and internal stains are mixed and applied. In this way, I create a nice canvas that helps me to achieve a life-like result with only a few selected ceramic powders. In most cases, three to five powders are enough to produce a great result. Among the powders used most frequently are Opacious Body, Body, LTX, Mamelon and CCV. After the first bake and a little grinding, I make use of internal stains again. They offer support in the controlling of the chroma and the integration of special characteristics. When this step is completed, the final build-up is done with one or two ceramic powders, most of the times LT1 and Enamel or LT0. Pink aesthetics are usually created with Tissue 1, 3 and 5. For the free gingiva, LT Coral is my go-to solution. The major goal is always to obtain maximum quality in a minimum of time. To achieve this, a good knowledge of the materials and of course practicing – on both, porcelain build-up and morphology – are strictly required.

Fig. 1. Complex implant-based restoration: Framework design.

Fig. 2. Esthetic Colorant …

Fig. 3.  … applied prior to the final sintering procedure.

Fig. 4. Appearance after sintering.

Fig. 5. Final outcome.

Are there any concrete tips and tricks you would like to share?

For the characterization of the framework, I mix the internal stains with shade base stain powders; mostly with SS Fluoro. For the first bake, especially when the restoration is large and the amount of ceramic to be applied huge, I reduce the heating rate up to 38 degrees per minute. I also increase the drying process up to 17 or even 20 minutes depending to the restoration. Experience shows that these measures optimize the aesthetic outcomes.

You often mention that it is extraordinarily important to understand the morphology of natural teeth to be able to produce beautiful restorations. Why is this the case?

A successful prosthetic restoration needs to offer proper function and aesthetics. Function means a precise fit, perfect contact points and occlusion, a proper emergence profile and interproximal embrasures for self-cleaning etc. All this is described by the term morphology. Aesthetics, on the other hand, is guided by shape and colour. The effort required to establish a proper morphology is much higher (about 70 percent of the total work) than the effort involved in obtaining the right translucency, opalescence and chroma.

What instruments do you use to imitate the morphology of natural teeth and how do you do it?

I usually make use of the Optimum™ Spring Ceramic Brush Size 8 (MPF Brush Co.), stones and diamond burs for detailed grinding and carving after the final bake. I studied morphology at the Osaka Ceramic Training Centre in Japan with Shigeo Kataoka-sensei. According to him, a key factor in creating a perfect macro and micro morphology lies in the shadows. To be able to take into account the interference of light and shadow during grinding, a light source is placed on one side of the restoration.

How many bakes do you need to produce highly aesthetic restorations?

It depends on the case, although in many situations, I nowadays opt for some kind of micro-layering. Lately, I have used micro-layering a lot with internal stain directly on the zirconia framework. In other cases, I do a quick first bake, then the internal staining, a final bake and glazing. For small or single-unit restorations in the posterior region, a One-Bake Technique is often sufficient. Even a Zero-Bake approach using Esthetic Colorant on a monolithic zirconia restoration may be appropriate here, and it is very convenient. If there is a restoration with high aesthetic demands – these are typically single anterior restorations – the technique I select depends on the shade. In some cases, using only the internal stain technique is enough to reach a high aesthetic level, while in other cases, additional steps need to be taken. To my mind, there is no single technique that fits all cases. As mentioned before, I try to achieve high aesthetics in a minimum of time.

Fig. 6. Clinical example of achieving high aesthetics in a minimum of time: Before …

Fig. 7. … and after crown placement.

Fig. 8. High aesthetics …

Fig. 9. … achieved in a minimum of time.

Did your approach change due to the availability of high-translucency zirconia materials with colour (and flexural strength) gradation?

Well, yes! My overall approach changed more to micro-layering. Several years ago, we needed to consider how to mask the framework and how to achieve translucency in areas with limited space. The problem was solved for single-unit and small anterior bridge restorations with the availability of KATANA™ Zirconia UTML and STML. With the introduction of KATANA™ Zirconia YML, a high-translucency material became available for long-span or implant-based restorations as well. We have strength and translucency all in one disc. In most of my cases, the framework material replaces the dentin with regard to morphology and shade. Hence, I need to focus on adding the enamel by applying the transparent and translucent powders. The powders of the internal stain technique are used to characterize the framework, and with a micro-layer of porcelain, the goal of creating an aesthetic restoration in the minimum of time is achieved. This is exactly why I am sure that micro-layering is the future.

What drives you to share your knowledge with others?

My passion! I love my work! And I love to see technicians become better and better. Dental technology is an exciting journey, a journey that begins when the first impression arrives in the dental laboratory, and it ends when the final restoration is cemented into the patient’s mouth. And this journey is so exciting because we change lives. We change people’s personalities, we give them back their smile, we give them back their self-respect. Consider that every day, every single moment working on our bench trying to imitate nature… there is nothing more exciting than that!!!

My approach as an instructor is to lead dental technicians to master the art of observing natural teeth. This is the way every individual will understand morphology and shade. You need no special talent to be a very good dental technician. You need to observe! Your eyes see, your mind understands, and your hands will follow.

Alexander (Alek) Aronin is a master dental technician who dedicated himself to the creation of high-end, handmade porcelain restorations. He runs a dental laboratory and morphology school in Spain, and travels the world as a lecturer and teacher.

The greatest source of inspiration in his professional life is the book Collection of Ceramic Works by Hitoshi Aoshima. Through reading it in 1996, he discovered superb outcomes of working with dental ceramics. Moreover, the book’s content made him realize that the creation of handmade porcelain work is a result of special education and manual skills. Those who want to become masters need a lot of commitment and a striving for continuous improvement, which Alek shows in his work and his classes. We talked to him about his philosophy and his enthusiasm for the creation of lifelike restorations. He shared with us his perspective on the future of dental technology and gave some practical tips on how to achieve a high level of professional satisfaction.

Photo courtesy of Dennis Debiase

Alek, many dental technicians decide to focus on CAD/CAM technology and automated processing of dental ceramics. Due to improvements on the material side, a handmade porcelain layer is no longer necessary in many clinical cases. In this context, the manual refinement process is reduced to a minimum. Why did you decide to take a completely different path and focus on fully manual dental craftsmanship?

The shift towards automated processing is not a matter of choice for dental technicians rather, it is a natural response to the evolution of technology. The high-end manual refinement process remains unchanged. The human element, from communication to hand crafting among skilled individuals and demanding clients, has been a constant so far throughout history. This traditional connection remains stable for centuries.

Digitalisation is not the revolution in the dental industry, and I do not see the benefit of it in our narrow specialization yet. In the area we are working, we do all steps of our case faster, incomparably more precise and more profitable. But we are keeping eye on machines and waiting for a suitable one.

Machines and automated processes widely serve mass production businesses focused on fast, affordable and uniform results in a highly competitive field. Our goal and workflow are different - we provide individual work and personal attention to each of our partners and patients.

So, we do not compete with the production labs and do not interrupt each other, we coexist in parallel worlds as always. A small number of dentists and their patients will always demand personal attention and valued restorations and service of the highest quality.

Many dental technicians admire your work. Yet, you continue to strive for improvement. Why is this the case?

On one side, we are limited by static ceramic material used to mimic dynamic natural teeth that keep changing for a lifetime. On the other side, we are limited by our manual skills. I am still far away from my teachers and Japanese colleagues. My target is to improve the fabrication process. My goal is to achieve the simplicity and imperfectness like Aoshima-sensei.

Alek lecturing at the IDS 2023 in Cologne.
Photo courtesy of Dennis Debiase

We are enjoying the outcome, but prefer to focusing on the improvement of the process, and move on to create a better one. This is what I am learning in Japan, and this is what I teach my students.

Talking about learning: What are the most important aspects a dental technician who wants to improve his skills should have in mind when looking for a good teacher?

Manual skills are very important, but not the only aspect that should be taken into account. Every individual should be motivated and guided and this is a teacher’s job.

I love the traditional Japanese way of teaching and learning: The teachers are passionate, leading the way by evoking emotions and manual skills to bring the best out of every single student. My personal advice for dental technicians who want to become masters in the creation of lifelike high-end dental restorations is to select their teachers carefully and go to a private school or courses whenever they have the chance.

What are the most important tools a dental technician needs to use when trying to create high-end lifelike restorations?

I suggest to focus on four aspects:

1. Documentary dental photography - required for documentation and communication with the dental office and patients using constant (once set and never changed) parameters of the photo equipment.
2. Focus to the biomimetic additive dentistry. This is a minimum machine invasive field. Dental technicians and dentists should be able to develop a deep knowledge about clinical and lab-side procedures to be able communicate with each other.
3. Mastering morphology and function (shape carving), and anatomy (internal staining), which comes with value control and mimicking fine tooth details for best integration in the mouth.
4. Written communication (stop phone calls) is very important, this is the way how to exchange the information between the patient, clinic and lab by strict protocols.

I teach these complex skills in my morphology school and in many of my trainings worldwide. Focusing on the four aspects, a dental technician has a great chance to become a good specialist in a relatively short period of time in a narrow field.

Is material selection important for achieving great results?

I’ve been using Noritake ceramic for most of my life, and the reason is simple: Noritake created their EX-3 porcelain over 40 years ago, and it was so well-made that it has not needed any changes since.

This is showing their consistently high quality and creates unbroken succession in the valuable tradition of passing on techniques and knowledge.

Today, among different generations of dental technicians, we can use and share the same methods, vocabulary and abbreviations, powders, and temperature charts developed by our skilled teachers 30 to 40 years ago. This unique feature sets Noritake and Creation porcelains apart from all other brands and systems in the world.

The other Noritake porcelain I use quite frequently is CERABIEN™ ZR, which is also well-tried and tested and has even some more advantages than EX3.

Is there any final advice you would like to give?

To become a good professional, I suggest to developing in four parallel directions:

1. Practicing on phantoms - fabricating cases and ceramic samples. It helps to experiment and practice with varied materials and techniques.
2. Implementing the achieved techniques in clinical cases.
3. Working with case presentation PowerPoint or Keynote: documenting the working steps in pictures and videos from beginning to end.
4. Mastering the communication using e-mails. Constantly calibrate and adjust the information exchange process between the clinic and lab. Acquire deeper knowledge about the work of each other.

Good luck!

Interview with DT Giuliano Moustakis

The percentage of restorations made of zirconia in a full-contour (monolithic) design is steadily increasing. As an enabler of this development, companies like Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. have introduced high-performance zirconia materials with well-balanced optical and mechanical properties along with innovative finishing solutions. A popular example is KATANA™ Zirconia YML with its multi-layered flexural strength, translucency and colour structure. Combined with Esthetic Colorant for KATANA™ Zirconia and CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain, it is very well suited for a simplified approach to zirconia aesthetics: The Zero-Bake Technique. We had a conversation with DT Giuliano Moustakis about its benefits and areas of application.

Giuliano Moustakis, why is there a need for a new technique related to the finishing of monolithic zirconia restorations?

Like many manufacturers of restorative materials, I truly believe that the trend towards monolithic zirconia restorations is here to stay. The reason is that there is a huge number of patients who place great value on high-quality dental treatments, but have a limited budget. Many of them are interested in metal-free restorations that blend in nicely with the surrounding dentition and are able to withstand the test of time. Reasonable cost is more important to them than highest-end aesthetics. The new materials available on the market allow us to produce restorations with the desired properties, but we need to think about how to combine them in the most effective way to be able to respond to all those demands including the financial one.

Please describe the Zero-Bake Technique.

This technique is based on a monolithic restoration design carried out in the preferred design software. In this step, it is already important to focus on a natural surface morphology – about 80 percent of the morphology are realized in the digital manufacturing procedure. After milling, some morphological details (the last 20 percent) are added with hand instruments. My personal set of instruments consists of two kinds of diamond discs used for the interproximal area of bridges (with virtually no pressure), a round-end straight carbide bur (fine), Panther stones and a zirconia-blade carving instrument. However, any set of instruments that feels comfortable in the hands of its user may be selected for this task. Taking into account the volumetric shrinkage during sintering and the final polishing and glazing, the structure created is ideally slightly over-contoured and clearly defined. It is definitely worth investing time in this preparatory step, as it will make our lives much easier later in the process. After surface texturing, selected colours of Esthetic Colorant for KATANA™ Zirconia – specific dyeing liquids designed for the imitation of natural optical effects – are applied to the surface.

Fig. 1. Working out the details in the interproximal area with rotating disc-shaped instruments.

Fig. 2.  Integration of the micro morphology with a round-end straight carbide bur.

Do you have any recommendations on how to proceed with this set of liquids?

Just follow the colour reproduction of the adjacent natural teeth. With Esthetic Colorant, we want to create beautiful illusions, and nature is our best source of inspiration. To be able to copy what we see, however, we need to understand the properties and behaviour of the materials we use. Consequently, I strongly recommend to test them extensively. For example, you may train on remnants of zirconia blanks before moving on to real patient cases. The duration of the testing period should depend on the outcomes produced, which should be highly predictable at the moment the first patient case is started. I experimented and practiced with Esthetic Colorant for about six months, and did use it on the first real case after one moth of practicing.

Nowadays, there are five effect liquids which I use on a daily basis in almost every case:

• A Plus: Used mainly in the vestibular cervical and palatal cervical and mamelon areas to increase the chroma of A dentin shades
• Blue: Used to reproduced the blueish enamel colour found in the area of the incisal edge and occlusal cusps
• Gray: Used (often in addition to Blue) to reproduce the grayish enamel colour found on the incisal edge and cusps
• Orange: Used to give an orange appearance to the cervical area and to intensify the contours of the mamelons
• Brown: Used to reproduce the dentin colour in the cervical area and to darken the colour in the main groove

In addition, there is a liquid with a special function I value highly: Opaque. This modifier liquid is applied on the intaglio of a restoration to mask discoloured or metal abutments. In order to intensify the effects of this and other liquids, they may be applied to a single spot up to three times.

Fig. 3.  Basic chromatic map for Individualization in the anterior region.

Fig. 4.  Restoration after sintering.

Fig. 5.  Frontal view of a complex restoration including gum parts with information on where to apply which type of Esthetic Colorant.

Fig. 6.  Basal view of the restoration with Opaque applied to mask the screws, and Violet and Pink to add colour to the gums.

Fig. 7.  Occlusal view with colour recommendations.

How do you apply Esthetic Colorant and what are the steps that follow once you have applied them?

For application, I use the dedicated Liquid Brush Pen for Esthetic Colorant. They allow for a controlled application of the desired amount of liquid and thus support predictable outcomes. Once all Esthetic Colorant liquids are applied, it is essential to dry the zirconia at a temperature between 80 and 200° C for a minimum of 30 minutes. During application of the liquids and drying, any contact with metal must be prevented. Therefore, the brushes used during application must be metal-free, and the same holds true for the tray. By adhering to this rule, discolouration is effectively prevented. The subsequently selected sintering protocols are not affected by the effect liquids – and the same for all types of zirconia from the KATANA™ Zirconia Multi-Layered series. Once sintered and cooled down, the surface of the restorations is finished with a set of polishing instruments. My tip in this context is to be careful not to destroy the micro morphology created in the pre-sintering step. To add the final gloss and natural fluorescence, the surface is treated by sandblasting for the application of CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain, fixed in a single glaze firing procedure.

Does the technique also work without glazing?

Yes, it is definitely possible to do without this step. In this case, however, the restoration will not offer a fluorescent effect. Whenever a restoration is finished without glazing, the surface must be perfectly polished. If completely smooth, the hardness of the material will not cause any harm to the opposing dentition.

What are the main indications for the Zero Bake Technique?

Personally, I use it most often in the context of complex reconstructions and in the posterior region, especially when the available space is limited. It allows for minimal wall thicknesses and the surface is – when well-polished – more antagonist-friendly than a lithium disilicate surface. In other cases, and depending on the financial budget, digitally produced dentin-core crowns are a great option. The dentin core is milled from KATANA™ Zirconia YML, the enamel added using CERABIEN™ ZR Luster Porcelains. Esthetic Colorant, internal stans and CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain may be added for individual effects. Compared to traditional full porcelain layering, this concept is quicker, involves a lower shrinkage, offers a high stability due to the specific framework design and requires a thinner wall thickness (e.g. 0.6 mm strength of the dentin core plus 0.6 mm porcelain).

Fig. 8.  Example of a dentin-core restoration. The surface morphology is refined with a Panther stone.

Why is it important to develop new design and finishing concepts nowadays?

To my mind, a lack of time is the greatest issue of modern dental technology. Due to a lack of skilled personnel and an expected decrease in the number of dental laboratories in many countries around the globe, we have to keep looking for concepts that help us reduce the time pressure and make our lives easier. While simplifying procedures, however, we need to provide for the same or even a higher quality of the outcomes. This is exactly what I wanted to achieve when starting to develop the Zero-Bake Technique. My personal gain is more free time.

Why do you share your ideas with others by working as an instructor and lecturer?

I simply enjoy interacting with colleagues, equipping them with knowledge and letting them benefit from good ideas.

Dentist:

DT GIULIANO MOUSTAKIS

Giuliano Moustakis has more than 30 years of expertise as dental technician. He was born in Greece but currently resides in Germany, where he has a lab in Falkensee. Giuliano studied at the School of Dental Technology (SBIE) in Athens, Greece. Over the years he completed several other studies in Germany and Japan, including: the maxillofacial prosthetic technician (IASPE), advanced education in functional diagnosis of the temporomandibular joint, Curriculum implant prosthetics for dental technicians (DGZI). He has been a global instructor at Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. since 2019. Last but not least it is important to note that he is also a gifted and enthusiastic photographer.

As an instructor and consultant for Kuraray Noritake Italia, I received my first set of Esthetic Colorant dyeing liquids for testing purposes approximately one year ago. When the package arrived in the dental laboratory, it made me curious immediately and I simply could not wait to start using the colourful liquids on KATANA™ Zirconia.

I started with some simple test work, applied the basic liquids like A Plus to pre-sintered zirconia, played a little with Gray and Violet and put the structures into the sintering furnace to reveal the obtained effects. The outcome was so convincing that I was sure Esthetic Colorant would be a great addition to the range of materials used in my laboratory for the production of zirconia restorations. The liquids would support me ideally by giving more character to my restorations from the inside.

To my mind, the use of Esthetic Colorant is convenient for two reasons:

1. KATANA™ Zirconia is a very compact material, even in its green (pre-sintered) state. This property is not only responsible for a great performance in terms of milling accuracy, stability and surface quality, but also provides for a controlled penetration of the effect liquids into the structure. They neither diffuse too deep into the zirconia nor do they spread too much on the surface.
   
   
2. Esthetic Colorants are water-based infiltrating liquids with a very light colour effect. Hence, they do not create such marked characterization effects like liquids from other companies. This is a huge advantage in my eyes, because I can characterize my zirconia internally without exaggerating. This allows me to copy lightly to moderately intensive effects, while giving depth to some areas of the tooth. Great examples are the occlusal table of a posterior restoration or incisal effects in the anterior region. In addition, I am able to shield the grayish effect resulting from a metal post or discoloured abutment tooth with the Esthetic Colorant Opaque applied to the inner surface of a restoration.

In short: I think Esthetic Colorants are fantastic. Just try them out yourself, because seeing is believing!

DT FRANCESCO NAPOLITANO

Nola (NA) ITALY