All-Ceramics, All-Options
Inside Dental Technology delivers updates on digital workflows, materials, lab techniques, and innovation in dental technology through expert articles and videos.
June 1, 2013
Volume 4, Issue 6, June 2013
Page(s):
Metal-free restorative dentistry is on the rise. The steadily climbing price of noble metals has left laboratory technicians, as well as their clinical counterparts, searching for cost-effective metal-free prosthetic alternatives. Innovations in CAD/CAM milling technology and materials, combined with an increasingly widespread use of a digital workflow, have made all-ceramic restorative options the material of choice in the dental laboratory and at chairside. With increased demand for all-ceramic restorations, a revolution in new material innovations has exploded with the introduction of new, highly esthetic restorative options to fit all indications.
Ivoclar Vivadent continues its investment in providing laboratories the means to create strong, esthetic, all-ceramic restorations. Committed to offering laboratories the most advanced technologies, the highest quality products, and a world-class education, Ivoclar Vivadent has now expanded its portfolio of materials and technologies with the acquisition of Wieland Dental and Wieland Precision Technology (WPT). This merger allows Ivoclar Vivadent to add the Wieland Precision Technology digital outsource center, the company’s Zenotec® milling machines, as well their Zenostar® full-contour zirconia milling block to its extensive product line of highly esthetic all-ceramic restorative solutions. The addition also further extends the company’s reach into the metal-free market by expanding restorative options for laboratories invested in open-ended CAD/CAM solutions. According to Michael Gaglio, DDS, Vice President of Marketing at Ivoclar Vivadent, the acquisition of Wieland Dental, and the resulting addition of Zenotec milling machines to Ivoclar Vivadent’s arsenal of products, falls in line with the company’s overarching philosophy. “Ivoclar Vivadent’s philosophy is to provide all-ceramic solutions for all options. Adding Wieland’s products to those options allows our customers to take advantage of the many different innovations that CAD/CAM technology has to offer, including metal-free restorations made in the dental laboratory,” Gaglio explains.
Ivoclar Vivadent now offers Wieland’s Zenostar full-contour zirconia milling discs. Zenostar zirconia is used strictly in a laboratory environment, and its indications cover a range of indications from single units to 14-unit bridges. The versatile material is available in six basic shades, which can then be easily characterized to accommodate most patient’s esthetic needs. Zenostar demonstrates high flexural strength, is able to reproduce both A-D and 3D shades, and offers very high light transmission. It is also a part of a coordinated system that includes the Zenostar Art Module, which consists of stains, glaze, and a one-layer ceramic to carefully individualize each restoration.
Adding Zenostar to Ivoclar Vivadent’s product line only expands an already extensive portfolio. “We want our customers to have the ultimate flexibility to create the type of all-ceramic restorations that they feel are best for any clinical situation,” explains Gaglio. Ivoclar Vivadent offers laboratories a number of materials, such as IPS e.max®, which includes IPS e.max® Press, IPS e.max® Ceram, IPS e.max CAD, IPS e.max® ZirCAD, and IPS Empress. These materials allow technicians to create restorations ranging from thin veneers to multiple unit bridgeworks. IPS e.max materials have reached such a level of saturation in the dental market that Ivoclar Vivadent has begun marketing the material directly to consumers through its Smile to the Max!™ campaign (www.smiletothemax.com).
In addition to Zenostar, Ivoclar Vivadent has also started offering Wieland Dental milling machines. One such machine is the Zenotec® mini, which can mill ceramics for all indications, including full-contour restorations. The Zenotec mini is ideal for all laboratories providing customers with the flexibility to mill a variety of materials. The Zenotec mini has 4-axis geometry and can automatically change tools and measurement. Due to its compact size, the Zenotec mini is a cost-effective option for any laboratory that wishes to mill metal-free restorations. Lee Culp, CDT, Chief Technology Officer at Microdental Laboratory, originally believed that smaller mills, like the Zenotec mini, were better suited to a small laboratory environment, but after seeing the machine in action, he was sold on its capabilities even in a large laboratory environment. “We run our Zenotec mini mills 16-20 hours a day. These little machines are the backbone of our digital philosophy, and I can run 20 of them in a room where I could only get one of the large industrial machines. Incorporating the mini into our operations has had a very positive impact on our business and our output capabilities,” describes Culp.
According to Gaglio, creating restorations with all-ceramic materials will continue to grow in popularity, as innovations in CAD/CAM technology and the digitalization of the dental workflow have made working with milling machines and all-ceramics easier and more cost-effective than ever before. “All-ceramic restorations are quickly usurping territory that used to belong to noble metals,” he says. “Ivoclar Vivadent is very excited to expand our portfolio and offer our customers in the dental laboratory more options when it comes to CAD/CAM milling.”
The acquisition of Wieland Dental is just one step that Ivoclar Vivadent has taken towards staying ahead of changes in the dental industry and offering technicians and clinicians maximum versatility in use of its products. Gaglio concludes, “In the future, Ivoclar Vivadent will continue to do everything we can to meet our customers’ needs in both the operatory and laboratory. As interest in all-ceramics increases, we want to always be a step ahead, anticipating what the industry will need next, while always keeping in mind our ‘all-ceramic, all-options’ philosophy.”
Disclaimer: The preceding material was provided by the manufacturer. The statements and opinions contained therein are solely those of the manufacturer and not of the editors, publisher, or the Editorial Board of Inside Dental Technology.
The Zenotec® mini is a 4-axis compact milling system that provides efficient and quality milling of a variety of materials to the laboratory. The Zenotec mini is capable of milling wax, acrylic, PMMA, and zirconium dioxide, including Zenostar® full contour zirconia.
The use of a 4-axis system, top-quality high-speed spindle, integrated control electronics, and control software make the Zenotec mini an ideal solution for all of the laboratory’s dry milling needs. The system features six tool positions and an automatic tool length and breakage detection system. The built-in high frequency spindle provides high milling rates, while the precision spindle axis bearing ensures first-class surface quality.
For more information, contact:
Ivoclar Vivadent
P 866-876-0885
W www.ivoclarvivadent.com
