In 1978, Kuraray shook up the dental market with the introduction of CLEARFIL BOND SYSTEM F, the world’s first total-etch adhesive system. Having inaugurated the era of adhesive dentistry, we steadily introduced new dental products over the following years. In 1983, Kuraray introduced the PANAVIA EX resin cement. By utilising our patented MDP monomer technology developed in-house, PANAVIA EX enabled Kuraray to set the industry standard for adhesion—a position we have held in the decades since. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Kuraray’s entry into the commercial dental products market, providing a perfect opportunity to reflect on how far we have come since.

Kuraray—Rooted from a true trailblazer 
Founded in June 1926 by Magosaburo Ohara in Kurashiki in Japan, Kuraray has transcended our humble origins as a producer of rayon to become a leading global manufacturer of medical products, materials, textiles, chemicals, resins and much more. Our commitment to research and development in the fields of chemistry and engineering has led to many market firsts and a reputation as a pioneer of new products and technologies. 

A history of innovation
From the very beginning, Kuraray has been focused on the manufacture of high value-added products. At the time of the business’s birth, rayon was a new type of synthetic material, and over the ensuing years, Kuraray was able to master its production. In 1950, we became the first company in the world to develop the technology to mass-produce POVAL (polyvinyl alcohol), paving the way for the production of the new synthetic fibre Vinylon in the same year. CLARINO, a water-resistant synthetic leather substitute for shoes, bags and other items, was released in 1964 after extensive research and testing, and quickly collected international awards for its technology.

Kuraray’s continued emphasis on independently developed proprietary technologies and techniques, rather than relying on imported alternatives, has enabled our company to provide original, high-quality products for a variety of different industries. High on this list is dentistry.

The Kuraray Noritake Dental era
In April 2012, Kuraray Medical and Noritake Dental Supply merged to form Kuraray Noritake Dental. By bringing together the materials and technologies developed by each of these market-leading companies, Kuraray Noritake Dental has continued to deliver dental bonding agents, ceramics and other reliable products to over 90 countries worldwide. The KATANA Zirconia range, for example, employs our unique multi-layered zirconia technology to provide a ceramic restorative material with superior translucency and perfect blending properties, while rapid bond technology ensures that CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick delivers a lasting bond faster and easier than ever. 

Through a focus on research and production, Kuraray Noritake Dental is ideally positioned to continue providing leading-edge solutions to dental issues both now and in the future. 
 

In 1978, Kuraray shook up the dental market with the introduction of CLEARFIL BOND SYSTEM F, the world’s first total-etch adhesive system. Having inaugurated the era of adhesive dentistry, we steadily introduced new dental products over the following years. In 1983, Kuraray introduced the PANAVIA EX resin cement. By utilising our patented MDP monomer technology developed in-house, PANAVIA EX enabled Kuraray to set the industry standard for adhesion—a position we have held in the decades since. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Kuraray’s entry into the commercial dental products market, providing a perfect opportunity to reflect on how far we have come since.

Kuraray—Rooted from a true trailblazer 
Founded in June 1926 by Magosaburo Ohara in Kurashiki in Japan, Kuraray has transcended our humble origins as a producer of rayon to become a leading global manufacturer of medical products, materials, textiles, chemicals, resins and much more. Our commitment to research and development in the fields of chemistry and engineering has led to many market firsts and a reputation as a pioneer of new products and technologies. 

A history of innovation
From the very beginning, Kuraray has been focused on the manufacture of high value-added products. At the time of the business’s birth, rayon was a new type of synthetic material, and over the ensuing years, Kuraray was able to master its production. In 1950, we became the first company in the world to develop the technology to mass-produce POVAL (polyvinyl alcohol), paving the way for the production of the new synthetic fibre Vinylon in the same year. CLARINO, a water-resistant synthetic leather substitute for shoes, bags and other items, was released in 1964 after extensive research and testing, and quickly collected international awards for its technology.

Kuraray’s continued emphasis on independently developed proprietary technologies and techniques, rather than relying on imported alternatives, has enabled our company to provide original, high-quality products for a variety of different industries. High on this list is dentistry.

The Kuraray Noritake Dental era
In April 2012, Kuraray Medical and Noritake Dental Supply merged to form Kuraray Noritake Dental. By bringing together the materials and technologies developed by each of these market-leading companies, Kuraray Noritake Dental has continued to deliver dental bonding agents, ceramics and other reliable products to over 90 countries worldwide. The KATANA Zirconia range, for example, employs our unique multi-layered zirconia technology to provide a ceramic restorative material with superior translucency and perfect blending properties, while rapid bond technology ensures that CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick delivers a lasting bond faster and easier than ever. 

Through a focus on research and production, Kuraray Noritake Dental is ideally positioned to continue providing leading-edge solutions to dental issues both now and in the future. 
 

Kuraray Noritake Dental concludes a patent license agreement with 3M In March 2018, Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. (President: Kiyoyuki Arikawa), with its Head Office in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, concluded a license agreement with the 3M Company, whose Head Office is in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. The agreement concerns a patented method for producing multilayered ceramics, European patent No. 2024300, held by Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.

Summary of Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. ceramic business

Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. launched the zirconia disc that has been commercialized through the use of our layered ceramic production method in 2012. The product has multi-layered structure with four different colored zirconia powders that feature a smooth transition of color gradation between layers. We took advantage of the dental ceramic coloring technology we had accumulated through the development of porcelains. Success was achieved in controlling the shrinkage of the layers by optimizing the amounts of pigments added, thereby achieving great accuracy in terms of adaptation. In 2015, we also launched a new series zirconia which has the high degree of translucency of natural tooth enamel and is suitable for the esthetic restorations of anterior teeth. In January 2018, zirconia block joined the zirconia family as our new solution for the fabrication of zirconia restorations. This new product achieves a well-balanced combination of appropriate mechanical properties and good esthetics with a short baking time. Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. is committed to developing new dental materials that contribute to the dental industry. Our products have become even more competitive on the global market because of our intense pursuit of technological innovation.

Read the official statement here

Kuraray Noritake Dental concludes a patent license agreement with 3M In March 2018, Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. (President: Kiyoyuki Arikawa), with its Head Office in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, concluded a license agreement with the 3M Company, whose Head Office is in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. The agreement concerns a patented method for producing multilayered ceramics, European patent No. 2024300, held by Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.

Summary of Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. ceramic business

Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. launched the zirconia disc that has been commercialized through the use of our layered ceramic production method in 2012. The product has multi-layered structure with four different colored zirconia powders that feature a smooth transition of color gradation between layers. We took advantage of the dental ceramic coloring technology we had accumulated through the development of porcelains. Success was achieved in controlling the shrinkage of the layers by optimizing the amounts of pigments added, thereby achieving great accuracy in terms of adaptation. In 2015, we also launched a new series zirconia which has the high degree of translucency of natural tooth enamel and is suitable for the esthetic restorations of anterior teeth. In January 2018, zirconia block joined the zirconia family as our new solution for the fabrication of zirconia restorations. This new product achieves a well-balanced combination of appropriate mechanical properties and good esthetics with a short baking time. Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. is committed to developing new dental materials that contribute to the dental industry. Our products have become even more competitive on the global market because of our intense pursuit of technological innovation.

Read the official statement here

Volume 3 of our "BOND" newsletter is now published and ready to read!

Content Highlights

Future of dentistry

CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick tested by clinicians

Interviews on what was seen on the ConsEuro 2017

Start Reading: BOND Volume 3

At Kuraray Noritake Dental, we understand that the most important factors for successful prostheses are strength and aesthetic appearance. With our KATANA Zirconia multi-layered series, we are proud to provide a range of materials with the translucency, colour gradient and durability to make every prosthesis as natural as possible, from veneers to full-contour restorations.

Launched in 2015, KATANA Zirconia UTML (Ultra Translucent Multi Layered) is the most translucent series at 43 per cent, a level equal to that of lithium disilicate or glass. This optimal translucency, combined with its natural colour gradient, allows the material to be used with confidence for veneers and crowns between natural teeth in the anterior region. KATANA Zirconia UTML is available in 20 shades in two shade groups (standard and enamel), with the reduced chroma of the enamel shades allowing for an enhancement of the translucency of the incisal area. As the flexural strength of KATANA Zirconia UTML—557 MPa—is 30 per cent higher than that of lithium disilicate, it can be reliably used to produce durable and aesthetic single restorations. 

KATANA Zirconia STML (Super Translucent Multi Layered) likewise has a natural colour and translucency gradient that transmits light in the incisal area while blocking it in the cervical area. This provides clinicians with the basis for beautiful full-contour prostheses, regardless of the abutment colour. With a translucency of 38 per cent and a flexural strength of 748 MPa—even higher than that of UTML, this series is recommended for up to three-unit posterior bridges, as well as crowns in the anterior and posterior regions.

The KATANA Zirconia ML (Multi Layered) and HT (High Translucent) series possess a flexural strength of 1,125 MPa, providing the highest level of mechanical strength in the KATANA line. Ideal for frameworks and long-span bridges, this series has a translucency of 31 per cent and ensures the aesthetic appearance of zirconia required by Kuraray Noritake Dental.

Give your brush a break

Often, the only way to ensure a prosthesis’s natural appearance is by dipping. With the KATANA Zirconia series, prostheses simply need to be milled and sintered to create natural aesthetics. To give them an even more natural look, the buccal surface can be stained with FC Paste Stain (Cerabien ZR).

Cementation with PANAVIA

Built upon the foundation of our original MDP monomer, PANAVIA cements are the best option for cementing prostheses or bonding to zirconia in a dental practice or laboratory. Both PANAVIA V5, developed for all indications, and PANAVIA SA Cement Plus, designed for ease of use, utilise the MDP monomer and have high bond strength to zirconia and durability. With PANAVIA cements, restorations can be cemented adhesively, expanding the options for use with zirconia.

At Kuraray Noritake Dental, we understand that the most important factors for successful prostheses are strength and aesthetic appearance. With our KATANA Zirconia multi-layered series, we are proud to provide a range of materials with the translucency, colour gradient and durability to make every prosthesis as natural as possible, from veneers to full-contour restorations.

Launched in 2015, KATANA Zirconia UTML (Ultra Translucent Multi Layered) is the most translucent series at 43 per cent, a level equal to that of lithium disilicate or glass. This optimal translucency, combined with its natural colour gradient, allows the material to be used with confidence for veneers and crowns between natural teeth in the anterior region. KATANA Zirconia UTML is available in 20 shades in two shade groups (standard and enamel), with the reduced chroma of the enamel shades allowing for an enhancement of the translucency of the incisal area. As the flexural strength of KATANA Zirconia UTML—557 MPa—is 30 per cent higher than that of lithium disilicate, it can be reliably used to produce durable and aesthetic single restorations. 

KATANA Zirconia STML (Super Translucent Multi Layered) likewise has a natural colour and translucency gradient that transmits light in the incisal area while blocking it in the cervical area. This provides clinicians with the basis for beautiful full-contour prostheses, regardless of the abutment colour. With a translucency of 38 per cent and a flexural strength of 748 MPa—even higher than that of UTML, this series is recommended for up to three-unit posterior bridges, as well as crowns in the anterior and posterior regions.

The KATANA Zirconia ML (Multi Layered) and HT (High Translucent) series possess a flexural strength of 1,125 MPa, providing the highest level of mechanical strength in the KATANA line. Ideal for frameworks and long-span bridges, this series has a translucency of 31 per cent and ensures the aesthetic appearance of zirconia required by Kuraray Noritake Dental.

Give your brush a break

Often, the only way to ensure a prosthesis’s natural appearance is by dipping. With the KATANA Zirconia series, prostheses simply need to be milled and sintered to create natural aesthetics. To give them an even more natural look, the buccal surface can be stained with FC Paste Stain (Cerabien ZR).

Cementation with PANAVIA

Built upon the foundation of our original MDP monomer, PANAVIA cements are the best option for cementing prostheses or bonding to zirconia in a dental practice or laboratory. Both PANAVIA V5, developed for all indications, and PANAVIA SA Cement Plus, designed for ease of use, utilise the MDP monomer and have high bond strength to zirconia and durability. With PANAVIA cements, restorations can be cemented adhesively, expanding the options for use with zirconia.

No other resin cement offers such ease of use and consistency in procedure. Indeed, the unrivalled simplicity and predictability of PANAVIA V5 is nothing less than astonishing.

Always the same cementation procedure. Always the special PANAVIA V5 Tooth Primer for the pretreatment of the tooth. And always CLEARFIL CERAMIC PRIMER PLUS to prime the restoration. 

In 1983, Kuraray introduced the PANAVIA EX resin cement and, with it, our patented MDP adhesive monomer. Since then, the MDP monomer has repeatedly been clinically proved and has set the industry’s adhesive standard for over 30 years. PANAVIA V5 is the newest addition to the PANAVIA cement line and sets a new adhesive benchmark for resin cements by providing self-cure dentine bond strengths equal to our gold standard light-cure bonding agent CLEARFIL SE BOND.

PANAVIA V5 is able to provide strong bonding not just to hydroxyapatite but to metals and zirconia as well. It can be used for all clinical cementation indications, including on crowns, veneers, inlays/onlays, bridges, crowns/abutments on implants, and posts. With PANAVIA V5, you always follow the same procedures prior to prosthetic cementation: roughen and prime the prosthesis, prime the tooth, and apply the cement to the prosthesis.

Aesthetic stability in shading 

When it comes to maintaining shade in aesthetic cementation, conventional composite cements tend to discolour over time. With PANAVIA V5, Kuraray Noritake Dental presents an amine-free paste in five different shades—Universal (A2), Clear, Brown (A4), White and Opaque (only in self-cure mode)—that has been scientifically proved to demonstrate a lower level of post-curing colour variance than amine-based cements do. In addition, the new PANAVIA V5 try-in paste allows you to accurately simulate the shading of your cementation before it has been performed. As part of Kuraray Noritake Dental’s continued commitment to excellence in adhesion, this combination aims to enable the continued stability and natural appearance of the cement shading after curing.

PANAVIA V5 Tooth Primer

Almost all dual-cure resin cements available have been scientifically demonstrated to require light curing to achieve an acceptable bond strength. Thanks to Kuraray Noritake Dental’s focus on research and development, the MDP monomer-based PANAVIA V5 Tooth Primer contains a new catalyst that solves this issue. It provides an accelerated curing process from the moment the cement touches the primer, which, in turn, leads to a high degree of conversion from monomer to polymer. PANAVIA V5 presents a milestone in adhesion, as it offers improved bond strength for all tooth structures, even when used in the self-cure mode.

Prime with CLEARFIL CERAMIC PRIMER PLUS

PANAVIA V5 is designed for use in conjunction with CLEARFIL CERAMIC PRIMER PLUS, a stable universal primer that contains both Kuraray Noritake Dental’s original MDP monomer and a silane monomer. This allows it to bond to all silica-based ceramics (including lithium disilicate), zirconia, composites and metals. It provides excellent bond strengths to all of these materials, as well as procedural simplicity.

To find out more about integrating PANAVIA V5 into your restorative workflow, visit www.kuraraynoritake.eu/en/panavia-v5.html

When it comes to the aesthetic performance of restorations in the anterior region, a key aspect to consider is translucency—the ability of the material to let light pass through it without becoming transparent. As teeth are naturally quite translucent, it is often noticeable if a restoration is of a low-translucency material, as it will not blend in. In addition, if the material is of a different colour to the surrounding teeth, it will likely appear unnatural. As the originators of multi-layered zirconia technology, Kuraray Noritake Dental is proud to present our KATANA Zirconia range, a ceramic solution for restorative procedures that, owing to its superior translucency and variety of shade options, blends with the surrounding dentition perfectly.

Though it has been used in restorative dentistry since around 2000, zirconia’s popularity as a metal-free alternative has risen dramatically with the recent development of high-translucency options. Whereas older generations of this material possessed an unnatural, chalk-like whiteness that diminished its appearance, newer versions combine mechanical performance with visual superiority to effectively mimic the shading differences between the enamel and dentine layers. Our KATANA Zirconia line is at the forefront of this new standard, as its enamel-like translucency and durability make it suitable for full-contour zirconia crowns, veneers and inlays/onlays in the anterior region. KATANA Zirconia’s multi-layered technology builds upon our emphasis on research and development to provide a highly aesthetic and biocompatible restorative material. 

A pioneering spirit

Much of the advancement in zirconia’s translucency has been the result of innovations in the powder that forms the basis of the discs. Whereas a vast majority of zirconia manufacturers rely on a single, shared provider of this powder, Kuraray Noritake Dental’s powder is proprietary and processed in-house. This pioneering spirit allows KATANA Zirconia to have as natural a translucency and colour as possible—the KATANA Zirconia UTML (Ultra Translucent Multi Layered) series possesses a translucency of 43 per cent and is available in 16 standard shades and four enamel shades, making it an ideal and harmonious fit for almost all anterior restorations between natural teeth.

Our KATANA Zirconia disc range consists of several options designed for full-contour zirconia prostheses, from single crown to full arch: KATANA Zirconia UTML, STML (Super Translucent Multi Layered), ML (Multi Layered) and HT (High Translucent). The multilayer build-up of KATANA Zirconia means that, like in natural dentition, the translucency of restorations made with this material is higher in the incisal than in the cervical areas. Each of the KATANA Zirconia series possesses different translucency and mechanical properties, allowing clinicians to cover a wide range of restorative cases in the anterior and posterior regions.

“The KATANA Zirconia range demonstrates our commitment to providing aesthetic and reliable products for clinicians worldwide,” said Eileen Tan, European Product Manager at Kuraray Dental Benelux. “With KATANA Zirconia, you can bring true naturalness to your prostheses.” 

No other resin cement offers such ease of use and consistency in procedure. Indeed, the unrivalled simplicity and predictability of PANAVIA V5 is nothing less than astonishing.

Always the same cementation procedure. Always the special PANAVIA V5 Tooth Primer for the pretreatment of the tooth. And always CLEARFIL CERAMIC PRIMER PLUS to prime the restoration. 

In 1983, Kuraray introduced the PANAVIA EX resin cement and, with it, our patented MDP adhesive monomer. Since then, the MDP monomer has repeatedly been clinically proved and has set the industry’s adhesive standard for over 30 years. PANAVIA V5 is the newest addition to the PANAVIA cement line and sets a new adhesive benchmark for resin cements by providing self-cure dentine bond strengths equal to our gold standard light-cure bonding agent CLEARFIL SE BOND.

PANAVIA V5 is able to provide strong bonding not just to hydroxyapatite but to metals and zirconia as well. It can be used for all clinical cementation indications, including on crowns, veneers, inlays/onlays, bridges, crowns/abutments on implants, and posts. With PANAVIA V5, you always follow the same procedures prior to prosthetic cementation: roughen and prime the prosthesis, prime the tooth, and apply the cement to the prosthesis.

Aesthetic stability in shading 

When it comes to maintaining shade in aesthetic cementation, conventional composite cements tend to discolour over time. With PANAVIA V5, Kuraray Noritake Dental presents an amine-free paste in five different shades—Universal (A2), Clear, Brown (A4), White and Opaque (only in self-cure mode)—that has been scientifically proved to demonstrate a lower level of post-curing colour variance than amine-based cements do. In addition, the new PANAVIA V5 try-in paste allows you to accurately simulate the shading of your cementation before it has been performed. As part of Kuraray Noritake Dental’s continued commitment to excellence in adhesion, this combination aims to enable the continued stability and natural appearance of the cement shading after curing.

PANAVIA V5 Tooth Primer

Almost all dual-cure resin cements available have been scientifically demonstrated to require light curing to achieve an acceptable bond strength. Thanks to Kuraray Noritake Dental’s focus on research and development, the MDP monomer-based PANAVIA V5 Tooth Primer contains a new catalyst that solves this issue. It provides an accelerated curing process from the moment the cement touches the primer, which, in turn, leads to a high degree of conversion from monomer to polymer. PANAVIA V5 presents a milestone in adhesion, as it offers improved bond strength for all tooth structures, even when used in the self-cure mode.

Prime with CLEARFIL CERAMIC PRIMER PLUS

PANAVIA V5 is designed for use in conjunction with CLEARFIL CERAMIC PRIMER PLUS, a stable universal primer that contains both Kuraray Noritake Dental’s original MDP monomer and a silane monomer. This allows it to bond to all silica-based ceramics (including lithium disilicate), zirconia, composites and metals. It provides excellent bond strengths to all of these materials, as well as procedural simplicity.

To find out more about integrating PANAVIA V5 into your restorative workflow, visit www.kuraraynoritake.eu/en/panavia-v5.html