In the first part of this aesthetic veneer workflow, dental technician Roberto Rossi demonstrates how to apply internal stains to KATANA™ Zirconia YML. This crucial step enhances the restoration by adding depth, translucency, and natural character from within.

After refining the anatomy and surface texture, Roberto skillfully blends and applies selected shades such as A+, Fluoro, and Incisal Blue. These shades create depth, opalescence, and inner vitality that radiate through the final restoration.

A must-watch for dental technicians looking to elevate their zirconia restorations with advanced, yet straightforward, internal staining techniques.

EUROPEAN KOLS EXPERIENCE INNOVATION AND CRAFTSMANSHIP IN JAPAN

This September, seventeen of Kuraray Noritake Dental’s Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) from across Europe—representing nine countries—embarked on a remarkable journey to Japan. The program offered a rare opportunity to experience the heart of Kuraray Noritake Dental’s culture of innovation, craftsmanship, and collaboration.

A JOURNEY OF INSIGHT AND INSPIRATION

The tour began in Tokyo, where the group traveled by bullet train to Nagoya to explore some of Japan’s cultural and professional landmarks. Visits to Nagoya Castle and the historic Noritake Garden provided glimpses into the artistry and heritage that continue to inspire our company’s ceramic technologies today.

Nagoya castle.

That evening, an official dinner in Nagoya brought together the European guests and key members of the Kuraray Noritake Dental team, including Ms. Kiyoko Ban, Mr. Yoshihisa Yamada, and Mr. Kazuhiro Yamada. It was an evening filled with rich conversations, meaningful connections, and a shared vision for the future of dental excellence.

FROM CONCEPT TO CREATION: VISITING THE MIYOSHI AND NIIGATA FACTORIES

The following day, the KOLs visited the Miyoshi Factory, where the company’s ceramic products such as KATANA™ Zirconia are manufactured, and  attended insightful presentations by their European peers — including Jorgen Gad, Sophie Dallem, Dumitru Leahu, Marios Georgoulis, Stratos Chatzichristos, and Kamila Krzepkowska — followed by a comprehensive factory tour and in-depth discussions  with R&D experts on zirconia and dental lab materials, providing unique professional insights.

Discussion with Kuraray Noritake Dental team at Miyoshi Factory.

Presentation given by DT Sophie Dallem and DT Dumitru Leahu at Miyoshi Factory.

Presentation given by DT Marios Georgoulis at Miyoshi Factory.

The tour also brought our KOLs to Niigata, where participants experienced firsthand the research and development process behind Kuraray Noritake Dental’s renowned products. A highlight was the hands-on demonstration of CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal, allowing each participant to engage directly with the materials and processes that define the company’s quality.

Hands-on course at Niigata plant.

CONNECTING THROUGH COLLABORATION

Between technical sessions, the group visited the Tokyo office and showroom, sharing open discussions with our Japanese colleagues at the headquarters, followed by a sightseeing tour through Tokyo’s landmarks — from the Imperial Palace to Tokyo Tower. These shared experiences strengthened the sense of partnership and mutual respect not only between the European and Japanese teams but also between the KOLs themselves and the company.

“It was an incredible experience meeting exceptional people worldwide, among them top specialists.” 
—    DT Kamila Krezpkowska, Poland

Discussion with Kuraray Noritake Dental team at the Tokyo headquarters.

WORDS FROM OUR KOLS

The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive:

“It was truly a lifetime experience — both inspiring and invaluable for me as a dental technician. Witnessing how the materials we use every day are created gave me an even deeper appreciation for the craft behind them.”
— DT Marios Georgoulis, Greece

“I’m so impressed by the organization, the endless friendliness, the openness, and the willingness to answer all my questions. It was a wonderful time, filled with so many experiences.” 
— Dr. Bernhild Stamnitz, Germany

“It was a life experience I will never forget and I am very grateful I got this opportunity to be there.[…] The drive and compassion of all the workers in office, but also at the factory were very impressive to see. The view I had about the quality of your product improved more than it already was.” 
—  Dr. Mark Laske, Netherlands

A SHARED COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

The KOL Japan Tour 2025 was more than a professional visit—it was a bridge between continents, uniting people through shared values of precision, innovation, and artistry. Kuraray Noritake Dental extends heartfelt thanks to all participants and to the teams in Japan who made this unforgettable experience possible.

Group picture at the Kuraray Noritake Dental office in Tokyo.

Arigato!

Case by Andreas Chatzimpatzakis

A CONCEPT EVEN FOR AESTHETICALLY DEMANDING CASES

The micro-layering technique is regarded as a more efficient, streamlined approach used as an alternative for full porcelain layering. It requires aesthetic, high-strength ceramics like lithium disilicate or zirconia as a base and – ideally – a set of porcelains specifically designed for reduced layer thicknesses that allows users to focus on imitating the characteristics of enamel. A high-quality example is CERABIEN™ MiLai (Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.). Consisting of a set of internal stains and porcelains with a firing temperature of just 740 °C and a coefficient of thermal expansion in the range of 9.5~11.0×10-6/K (50 °C – 500 °C), this product works well on lithium disilicate and zirconia.

Its aesthetic potential is surprisingly high: Depending on case-specific requirements, users are given the choice between maximum efficiency using a single-bake technique and maximum aesthetics achieved with more complex layering. The latter option is demonstrated below using the example of six maxillary anterior veneers.

Fig. 1. Lithium disilicate frameworks (Amber Press) on the model.

Fig. 2. CERABIEN™ MiLai Value Liner 1 applied to the framework. This porcelain is typically used on lithium disilicate for wash baking.

Fig. 3. First build-up with CERABIEN™ MiLai CCV2 in the cervical section, …

Fig. 4. … Value Liner 2, …

Fig. 5. … Creamy Enamel in the middle area …

Fig. 6. … and Tx used to add ultimate translucency.

Fig. 7. Appearance of the restorations after the first bake.

Fig. 8. Outcome of the internal staining procedure.

Fig. 9. Application of CERABIEN™ MiLai LT1 for a standard translucency and opalescence effect, …

Fig. 10. … E2, …

Fig. 11. … a mixture of E2 and ELT1 (mixing ratio: 50:50) for translucency and brightness and along the marginal ridges, …

Fig. 12. … Tx mixed with Royal Blue (mixing ratio 70:30) for a blueish translucency in the incisal area…

Fig. 13. … as well as a final layer of LTx to add ultimate translucency and opalescence to the whole enamel surface.

Fig. 14. Outcome of the third bake.

Fig. 15. Cutback for the final layer of porcelain.

Fig. 16. Final layer of CERABIEN™ MiLai added to the central and lateral incisors for translucency.

Fig. 17. Situation after the fourth bake, grinding and use of a rubber polisher.

Fig. 18. Outcome of the fifth bake (self-glaze).

Fig. 19. Beauty shots …

Fig. 20. … of the restorations …

Fig. 21. … on the model.

TRULY BEAUTIFUL OUTCOMES POSSIBLE

This case example reveals that CERABIEN™ MiLai is much more than just a maximum-efficiency solution: With the current line-up of porcelains and internal stains, truly beautiful restorations can be produced. Hence, users are given high flexibility regarding not only the high-strength framework material they prefer, but also the effort and time they would like to invest. This makes CERABIEN™ MiLai a versatile porcelain system that meets many needs and covers a wide range of applications in the dental laboratory.

Dental technician:

ANDREAS CHATZIMPATZAKIS

Andreas graduated from the Dental Technology Institute (TEI) of Athens in 1999. During his studies he followed a program at the Helsinki Polytechnic Department of Dental Technique, where he trained on implant superstructures and all ceramic prosthetic restorations. As of 2000, he is running the ACH Dental Laboratory in Athens, Greece, specialized on refractory veneers, zirconia and long span implant prosthesis. In 2017 Andreas visited Japan where he trained under the guidance of Hitoshi Aoshima, Naoto Yuasa and Kazunabu Yamanda and become International Trainer for Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc..

CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal REMPORTE UN PRIX DE LA RECHERCHE

Propriétés en résumé

• Restaurations directes de toutes les classes de cavités, lésions cervicales (par ex. caries de surface radiculaire, défauts cunéiformes), usure et érosion dentaires
• Base/bord de cavité
• Correction de la position et de la forme de la dent (par ex. fermeture de diastème, malformation)
• Réparation intra-orale de restaurations fracturées
• Collage céramique et composite d'inlays, onlays et facettes de moins de 2 mm d'épaisseur

PERFORMANCE IN-VITRO ÉBLOUISSANTE

La performance de CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal a été qualifiée de très bonne à tous les égards. Les propriétés physiques se sont avérées être parmi les plus élevées chez les composites fluides et à un niveau similaire à celui des alternatives pâteuses. La radio-opacité a été jugée idéale, de même que la viscosité étant donné que le matériau conserve sa forme initiale après application. Et, bien que seules deux teintes soient proposées, les chercheurs ont confirmé que CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal correspond à une vaste palette de teintes de dents naturelles.
 

À PROPOS DE DENTAL ADVISOR

PANAVIA™ Veneer LC WINS PREFERRED PRODUCT AND RESEARCH AWARDS

PANAVIA™ Veneer LC has been singled out for a Research Award in the category Research – Veneer Cement by Dental Advisor and for a Preferred Product Award in the category Cement: Esthetic Resin. Published in the January/February 2025 issue of the US-based organisation, the annual Top Product, Preferred Product or Research Awards are given to those materials and devices deemed by the publication’s consultants to deliver the best practice-based or lab-based performance in their categories.

BENEFITS IN A NUTSHELL

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 resin 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.

EXCELLENT PROPERTIES IN VITRO

To assess the scientific performance of PANAVIA™ Veneer LC, its features and physical properties, specifically its bond strength to various substrates after artificial aging and its wear resistance, were tested in the Dental Advisor Biomaterials Research Center. 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 dentin, enamel, IPS e.max CAD, and zirconia, the cements were subjected to six months of artificial aging using thermocycling. To test wear resistance after toothbrush abrasion, 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.

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:

OUTSTANDING RATING OF 96 PERCENT

In addition, the product was tested in the clinical setting. 25 clinical evaluators used PANAVIA™ Veneer LC cement system in their dental offices. After a total of 166 uses, the light-curing resin cement received “excellent” to “very good” ratings with regard to completeness of the kit, the shade of the try-in pastes, ease of clean-up of the try-in pastes and excess cement, viscosity, working time and lack of shade shift after curing.

The evaluator’s clinical tips included:

• „Use a micro brush or rubber tip to clean up excess cement before curing.”
• „Apply glycerin gel to the margins after placing the veneer with the cement to eliminate the oxygen inhibition layer and ensure a complete cure before light curing through the gel.”

In their comments, they praised the ease of use of the system, the design of the syringes, the shade options and shade match between try-in and cement shades, e.g.:

• “The white shade of the cement was opaque enough for efficient masking of discolored tooth structure.”
• “Great esthetics, very easy to use, complete system.”

This resulted in an overall clinical rating of 96 percent and an equally high recommendation rate.

ABOUT DENTAL ADVISOR

The Top Product and Preferred Product Awards from Dental Advisor, a US-based organization, were initiated to help busy practitioners navigate the variety of new dental solutions available, particularly for less invasive techniques and standardized procedures. These awards aim to identify products that improve outcomes consistently. Dental Advisor conducts clinical evaluations and product performance tests shortly after a product’s launch and publishes annual results online to help practitioners identify high-quality dental materials suited to their specific needs. Research Awards were initiated to honour those manufacturers of dental products with an ongoing commitment to research, development and advancement of dental materials to enhance treatment quality.

For more information, visit Dental Advisor at: www.dentaladvisor.com

CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 est notre dernière avancée technologique en adhésion dentaire. Basé sur la performance fiable de son prédécesseur, cet adhésif de la prochaine génération incorpore une technologie novatrice qui apporte une multitude d'avantages remarquables. En combinant trois monomères clés dans notre propre technologie Advanced Rapid Bond, nous avons augmenté la fluidité et la force, mais aussi la résistance à la rétraction - tout en rendant le produit adapté à une conservation à température ambiante.

CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2 fournit une solution rapide et fiable pour le scellement de pilier. Sa technologie d'adhésion avancée assure une adhésion forte, moins de micro-fuites et un scellement durable. Appliquez, séchez et polymérisez. Découvrez ce flux de travail efficace et prévisible qui protège le pilier et améliore la réussite de la restauration sur le long terme.

Workflow for sealing a prepared abutment tooth (for indirect restorations and CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2.

CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 est notre dernière avancée technologique en adhésion dentaire. Basé sur la performance fiable de son prédécesseur, cet adhésif de la prochaine génération incorpore une technologie novatrice qui apporte une multitude d'avantages remarquables. En combinant trois monomères clés dans notre propre technologie Advanced Rapid Bond, nous avons augmenté la fluidité et la force, mais aussi la résistance à la rétraction - tout en rendant le produit adapté à une conservation à température ambiante.

Un temps de travail idéal. Inutile de secouer le flacon, de frotter, d'attendre ni d'appliquer plusieurs couches. Il faut seulement appliquer, sécher et polymériser.

PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal transforme le collage en supprimant les étapes superflues. Pas besoin d'un apprêt séparé - appliquez tout simplement la colle et poursuivez votre restauration. Conçue pour exceller avec toute une série de matériaux restauratifs, dont la vitrocéramique, cette colle vous offre plus d'assurance quant à vos résultats.

Combinés, ces deux produits incarnent l'essence même de Universal Excellence, simplifiant votre flux de travail et vous offrant l'assurance de bons résultats, fiables et esthétiques.

Workflow for cementation of indirect restorations with PANAVIA SA Cement Universal and CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2.