429 Too Many Requests

Case by MDT Daniele Rondoni and Dr. Enzo Attanasio.

Veneers made of zirconia? In some cases, like the one presented below, monolithic zirconia veneers may be an option. Reasons for selecting a latest-generation zirconia such as “KATANA™ Zirconia” YML include its very high translucency and a wall thickness of only 0.3 to 0.4 mm supporting minimally invasive tooth preparation. Due to a highly automated production procedure, the manual effort involved may be reduced, while highly aesthetic outcomes are possible.

Fig. 1. Initial situation: Young female patient with misshaped and misaligned maxillary incisors. Digital smile design is used to reveal the ideal proportions and positions of the anterior teeth.

Fig. 2. Ideal tooth proportions and positions displayed over a picture of the teeth after orthodontic treatment and the creation of a mock-up. The positions are ideal and the tooth shapes obtained with the mock-up only need some minor adjustments.

Fig. 3. Facial view of the patient with the planned veneers blended in.

Fig. 4. Guided tooth structure removal with the aid of a silicone index. The minimum wall thickness of the selected material – “KATANA™ Zirconia” YML – is 0.4 mm.

Fig. 5. Matched digital impressions of the maxilla and mandible taken after tooth preparation.

Fig. 6. Monolithic restoration made of “KATANA™ Zirconia” YML placed on the resin model after the 7-hour final sintering.

Fig. 7. Lateral view of the master cast with the six veneers individualized with the liquid ceramic system CERABIEN™ FC Paste Stain.

Fig. 8. Tooth-like translucency of the veneers on the model.

Fig. 9. Intra-oral try-in with two different shades of the PANAVIA™ V5 Try-in Paste: A2 is used in the right and Clear in the left quadrant. It was decided by the dentist to use A2 shade.

Fig. 10. Lateral view of the cemented veneers. The result is a natural surface texture, which contributes to a natural appearance of the restorations.

Fig. 11. Frontal view of the veneers in place.

Fig. 12. Treatment outcome immediately after rubber dam removal.

FINAL SITUATION

Fig. 13. Treatment outcome with healthy soft tissues two weeks after treatment.

Fig. 14. Gums are healthy and the restorations show a great optical integration with the adjacent posterior teeth.

Dentists:

Innovation and workflow simplification made possible

In this edition of BOND, we're shining a spotlight on the innovation and workflow simplification made possible by high-quality products like our "KATANA™ Zirconia" range.

In an interview with Atsushi Matsumoto and Yuta Tajima about KATANA™ Zirconia YML these experts explain the benefits of this new material possessing different concentrations of yttria in a single blank, and highlight how its multi-layered nature allows practitioners to work with a nearly universal zirconia suitable for all cases.

Mathias Fernandez Lombardi has contributed an excellent article detailing the science behind "KATANA™ Zirconia", Kuraray Noritake Dental's brand new 4.4.1. kit is introduced and last, but certainly not least, Dr Stefano Daniele details his experiences with KATANA™ Cleaner.

Click here to read. Enjoy!

Start Reading: BOND | VOLUME 8 | 12/2021

Previous versions:

BOND | SPECIAL EDITION | 06/2021

BOND | VOLUME 7 | 10/2020

In July 2021, Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. introduced KATANA™ Zirconia YML (yttria multi-layered). With KATANA™ Zirconia UTML, STML, and HTML PLUS already available, it is the fourth multi-layered zirconia in the company’s portfolio – and for dental technicians striving for simplification and standardization, it is the only zirconia they will need.

Its inner structure is different from the other options in that it features the next generation multi-layer technology with not only colour, but also translucency and flexural strength gradation. This makes KATANA™ Zirconia YML a true all-rounder covering every zirconia indication. While translucency and flexural strength gradation is key property differentiating KATANA™ Zirconia YML from other zirconia options within the KATANA™ Zirconia Multi-Layered Series, there are many factors that differentiate it from other materials in the market. One important point is its perfect adjustment to Kuraray Noritake Dental’s specialized products for polishing, staining, glazing and porcelain veneering. In order to learn more about the differentiating factors, we had a conversation with Antonio Corradi, Scientific Marketing Manager at Kuraray Noritake Dental.

Antonio Corradi, who should consider using KATANA™ Zirconia YML?

Offering strength and translucency exactly where needed in the blank, KATANA™ Zirconia YML is suitable for the whole range of indications from crowns to monolithic long-span bridges. With these properties, it is the perfect choice for anyone who would like to use one single zirconia for the production of any kind of ceramic restoration. Instead of playing with different blanks depending on the indication and patient-specific needs, the increasing fan base of KATANA™ Zirconia YML uses the same zirconia every time, and plays with the position of the restoration in the blank to make it particularly strong or translucent.

KATANA™ Zirconia YML: layers and their translucency and flexural strength values.

What are the finishing options available for users of KATANA™ Zirconia YML within the Kuraray Noritake Dental product portfolio?

Kuraray Noritake Dental offers a well-aligned portfolio of feldspathic ceramics for various finishing techniques. Purely natural aesthetics are obtained by full porcelain layering. The framework is milled from KATANA™ Zirconia YML and afterwards, different layers of CERABIEN™ ZR Shade Base Porcelain, Opacious Body, Body and Enamel Porcelain, Internal Stain and Luster Porcelain are applied and fixed in various bakes. For morphological corrections and final polishing, suitable products from Kuraray Noritake Dental like Noritake Meister Finish Point and Pearl Surface Z are available.

However, a highly aesthetic zirconia like KATANA™ Zirconia YML usually does not require such a complex finishing approach. Instead, a micro cut-back on the vestibular side of the restoration or even a monolithic design with a thin or ultra-thin layer of (liquid) ceramics is sufficient. For the micro-layering approach, we offer a set of CERABIEN™ ZR Internal Stain and Luster Porcelain materials that are usually applied in a two-step procedure. The occlusal and lingual surfaces not covered by porcelain are merely polished e.g. with Pearl Surface Z. For the further simplified ultra-microlayering approach, CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain is the perfect choice. The liquid ceramic is able to create texture and a 3D effect on the monolithic surface without adding too much volume to call for a reduction of the zirconia.

Purely natural aesthetics are achieved with a complex combination of porcelains.

For highly aesthetic zirconia like KATANA™ Zirconia YML, a simplified micro-layering approach is usually sufficient.

An even more simplified approach is ultra-microlayering on monolithic surfaces with liquid ceramics such as CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain.

Which of these finishing approaches do you recommend to users of KATANA™ Zirconia YML?

All three approaches are suitable, and I think that ultra-microlayering is often the best option with a highly aesthetic zirconia, when weighing the time and effort involved against the aesthetics of the outcome. However, a dental technician should always take into account the indication-specific requirements and the needs of the patient (e.g. regarding treatment cost, time available and aesthetic demands), as well as the dentist for the selection of the appropriate material combination and finishing approach. A monolithic design finished with ultra-microlayering is definitely worth a try for those who start working with KATANA™ Zirconia YML!

Are there other materials in the Kuraray Noritake Dental portfolio that perfectly match KATANA™ Zirconia YML?

There are many additional products that are perfect for use with KATANA™ Zirconia YML. One such material is KATANA™ Cleaner, which removes saliva or blood from (zirconia) restorations and from prepared tooth structures after try-in. With its high cleaning effect, it is the ideal product for everyone striving for an optimized bond quality and streamlined adhesive procedures. For adhesive bonding carried out in the laboratory or in the dental office, different types of resin cements are offered by Kuraray Noritake Dental. As some dental practitioners might ask for recommendations regarding cement selection and restoration pretreatment, it is worth knowing these products and their range of indications. For KATANA™ Zirconia, we recommend using the self-adhesive resin cement PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal for restorations with a retentive design and an adhesive cementation procedure with PANAVIA™ V5 for all other types of zirconia restorations.

Resin cement recommendations depending on the indication, preparation design and margin position.

What else differentiates KATANA™ Zirconia YML from similar materials?

Kuraray Noritake Dental is a true expert in the processing of dental zirconia. This profound knowledge has been leveraged to align the different layers within KATANA™ Zirconia YML with their varying yttria concentrations , so that shrinkage ratios and CTE values are harmonized, and a smooth transition from one layer to the next is achieved. This adjustment is only possible as an end-to-end in-house production process has been established, which provides full control over every detail. Unlike other companies purchasing readily mixed powder, Kuraray Noritake Dental uses natural ores to produce the required metal oxides and its own proprietary additive combination for powder production. In addition, an extremely meticulous pressing process is used to minimize the risk of contamination by airborne particles, and specific ingredients are added to increase blank stability. All this leads to high-quality blanks without transition lines and impurities for well-balanced mechanical and optical properties, a high accuracy of fit, a brilliant surface quality and edge stability, and a high design flexibility users will love.

Why do you recommend KATANA™ Zirconia YML to potential users?

To my mind, the new material is definitely worth testing in the own laboratory environment. It offers many properties that have the potential to reduce the inventory and streamline procedures, without compromising the outcomes. Material selection is simplified, sintering may be accelerated, and finishing becomes a lot easier with the proposed techniques and adjusted materials. However, words alone are not enough to reveal the real difference, which can only be sensed when processing the material and creating impressive outcomes.

"Kuraray Noritake Dental is a true expert in the processing of dental zirconia"

Antonio Corradi during the interview.

By PhD. M. Inokoshi.

INTRODUCTION

Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. is a manufacturer with a long history and wealth of experience in the field of producing dental materials, including bonds, cements and ceramics. The all-ceramic restorations market, including that for zirconia products, has been growing rapidly around the world since the beginning of the 2000’s. In response to this trend, we have established an integrated production system that can be used to manufacture a wide range of dental zirconia products in-house, from powder to discs.

When we develop new zirconia products, we carefully analyze the characteristics of dental zirconia that are actually demanded by users in the clinical setting and, based on the results of our analysis, we craft new products with these clinically needed characteristics. In our first efforts we focused on developing a dental zirconia that would have a natural tooth color after sintering. We launched “KATANA™ Zirconia”, our first dental zirconia product to span all the VITA^* Classical A1-D4 shade Guide, in 2007. Following in 2013, using our original manufacturing method, we developed and launched “KATANA™ Zirconia” ML (Multi-Layered), a multi-layered zirconia product that produces smooth color gradations like those of natural teeth, avoiding sharp color transition between layers. Then, in 2015, we also released “KATANA™ Zirconia” UTML (Ultra Translucent Multi-Layered) and STML (Super Translucent Multi- Layered). These are highly translucent, multi-layered zirconia products that became other versions of our multi-layered zirconia family. We are one of the pioneering manufacturers of dental zirconia, and as such, we promise ourselves that we will keep on delivering excellent highly-esthetic dental zirconia products to the dental market now and into the future.

^*VITA is a trademark of VITA Zahnfabrik, Bad Sackingen, Germany.

Recent advancements in dental technology have made it possible to use zirconia as a prosthetic material across a wide variety of dental applications, from large-sized implants where great mechanical strength is required, to treatment in the anterior region, where esthetics are of the utmost importance. The material characteristics needed, however, differ from one treated case to another. Many dental zirconia suppliers respond to these therapeutic requirements by offering various types of dental zirconia that feature different levels of mechanical and esthetic properties. This requires dentists and dental technologists in clinical settings to select, from a wide range, the type of zirconia that will be more better appropriate to treat the case they are facing at any given moment. This means it is necessary for each clinic to keep in stock many types of dental zirconia materials with different characteristics, in order to meet the requirements of the wide variety of possible case parameters.

Several dental material manufacturers have responded to these circumstances by offering dental zirconia disc products that have combinations of multiple layers with different levels of translucency and mechanical strength. They claim these products make materials available that can be used to fabricate a wide range of restorations. These products, however, can have serious shortcomings. Some require laborious manufacturing work, tailored to the fabrication of the particular restoration. Others do not include the required high-strength zirconia layer that makes it possible to fabricate a bridge. These products, therefore, may provide no assurance of providing the mechanical strength recommended by ISO for the manufacture of certain restorations. A market need arose for dental zirconia products that could be used easily and safely for the fabrication of a wide range of restorations.

In response to this need, at Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc., we have developed and released “KATANA™ Zirconia” YML(YML), a new type of dental zirconia material that provides the blend of excellent performance variables provided by the “KATANA™ Zirconia” Multi-Layered series. With its well-balanced performance, the YML can be indicated for the fabrication of a wide range of restorations, from large sized ones requiring great mechanical strength to anterior crowns that require a high level of translucency In this paper, we would like to describe YML’s features and the technology behind it. We will also present comparative data collected by Masanao Inokoshi, a professor in the Department of Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, on YML and a similar product from the competition.

FEATURES OF THIS PRODUCT AND THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND IT

Short sintering time

YML can be baked satisfactorily in a short period of time, thanks to our innovative technology. In addition to the conventional sintering schedule of about 7 hours, and even the 90-minute schedule, we have also made it possible to shorten the sintering time further, to a remarkable 54 minutes^*.

^*The material is removed from the furnace at 800°C / 1472°F. Up to 3-unit bridges.

Excellent translucency and great mechanical strength

A YML disc consists of four layers: one Enamel and three Body layers. The top Enamel layer (35% of the total thickness: 750 MPa^*1) is composed of the same zirconia material as “KATANA™ Zirconia” STML, which is highly acclaimed for its excellent translucency. The three Body layers ((1): 1,000 MPa^*1, (2): 1,100 MPa^*1 and (3): 1,100 MPa^*1) that lie below the Enamel layer are made from a new type of zirconia material. Body layer (1) is an intermediate layer that has the desirable translucence of STML. It includes, however, a well-balanced combination of translucency and mechanical strength suitable for the treatment of cases, such as those requiring bridges, which demand these notable characteristics. Body layers (2) and (3) provide the high level of mechanical strength of “KATANA™ Zirconia” HTML suitable for the fabrication of large-sized restorations, along with an improved level of translucency. With its well-balanced combination of translucency and mechanical properties, provided by taking advantage of multiple zirconia ceramics, YML is a product that meets the demand for highly esthetic products. It is suitable for the fabrication of the whole range of restorations, from single crowns to bridges.

^*1 : According to ISO 6872: 2015, three-point bending test.

Multi-layer gradation

Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. released our first multi-layered zirconia product in 2013. Subsequently, the company launched zirconia products very much appreciated for their smooth transition of color gradation, much like that of natural teeth. We use our own innovative pressing method to manufacture YML. It smooths the change of colors between layers, which provides the desirable feature of a very smooth and natural color transition.

Reduced deformation after sintering

In general, dental zirconia shrinks during the sintering process by about 20 percent in 2 dimensions (50 percent in volume). If shrinkage cannot be controlled adequately, it becomes difficult to fabricate restorations that fit precisely into complicated abutments or margin lines. The shrinkage of zirconia materials varies subtly from one production lot to another, even when the same raw material is used. We appropriate raw material control such as raw material crushing etc., using different sintering shrinkage rates for different production lots. In view of the fact that the sintering shrinkage of zirconia materials requires delicate control, it is not hard to understand that shrinkage control is even more difficult when different zirconia materials are combined into one disc. If the shrinkage rates of the layers of a zirconia disc differ, the restoration will necessarily be deformed during shrinkage. Many users voiced particular concerns about dimensional stability when they were asked about using zirconia discs (which require high precision) for the fabrication of implants. Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. has an integrated production system that is used to manufacture zirconia products in-house, from the design and manufacture of zirconia powder as a raw material to final products, thus making it possible for us to control the shrinkage rate of zirconia with great accuracy. For this reason, we are able to use zirconia materials with stably controlled shrinkage rates to manufacture YML, even though it consists of multilayers made up of different zirconia materials. This minimizes deformation of restorations after shrinkage.

RESULTS OF A VERIFICATION OF THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF YML AND A REVIEW OF ITS CLINICAL ADVANTAGES

To verify the physical properties of YML, the translucence, mechanical strength and crystalline structure of YML and ZirCAD Prime (Ivoclar Vivadent) were analyzed and compared with one another at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University. Among the physical properties examined, this paper focuses especially on data on the translucency and mechanical strength of each product.

Data on translucency:

Different alphabets indicate a definite difference between groups.

Data Courtesy of PhD. Masanao Inokoshi, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

The translucency of ZirCAD Prime was significantly higher than that of YML, when a comparison was made at the Enamel layer. This is probably because Prime contains almost no pigment in the Enamel layer, in order to bring out the brightness (whiteness) of the zirconia itself. By contrast, YML contains some pigment, so the product can deliver an optimal level of brightness in the clinical setting. That is, it seems that the addition of pigments leads to a difference in translucency between YML and Prime.

Data collected at Kuraray Noritake Dental on the relative translucency of YML and Prime

Total light transmittance (%) (Illuminant: D65; test specimens with a diameter of 30 mm, and a thickness of 1 mm) Raw material in YML’s Enamel layer (no coloring agent): 49% Prime’s Enamel layer: 49%.

Regarding the layers lying beneath the Enamel, such as the Transition and Body layers, YML was found to be more translucent than Prime. It can be concluded that YML is sufficiently translucent even beneath the layers lying beyond the Enamel layer. This makes it possible to fabricate prostheses with natural tooth colors, when used in combination with an Enamel layer that is suitably adjusted to provide the optimum color.

Mechanical strength data as results of four-point bending test:

Different alphabets indicate a definite difference between groups.

Data Courtesy of PhD. Masanao Inokoshi, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

The Enamel layer of YML had a significantly greater bending strength than that of Prime. On the other hand, when the bending strength of the Body layers was compared, Prime’s Body layer was the strongest. The three YML Body layers ((1), (2) and (3)) had bending strength values of more than 850 MPa^*2, and there were no significant differences in bending strength among Prime’s Body layer and YML’s Body layers ((1), (2) and (3)).

The results revealed that while YML has small differences in bending strength among the Enamel layer and the three Body layers, Prime has clearly different levels of bending strength between the Body layer and the other two layers. YML’s Body layers (including the intermediate layer) have such a high level of mechanical strength that it is quite feasible to use it to fabricate highly reliable prostheses.

^*2 : According to ISO 6872: 2015, four-point bending test.

LAYERED DESIGN CONCEPT

The guide for fabricating large restorations using YML states the requirement that at least 50% of the connector cross-section should be positioned in the bottom (lower part) of the disc. This means that generally you can meet the requirement of the guide by positioning the restoration at the center of the disc’s four layers. Guides or advices of restoration fabrication for using zirconia discs available in the market may sometimes be complicated to position the restoration as specified in the guide or to position the piece as specified by the guide, which makes it difficult to fabricate a highly esthetic restoration that makes use of the Enamel layer’s better translucency.

When we developed YML, Kuraray Noritake Dental kept in mind that the fabrication guide must be practical, as well as easy. That’s why YML was designed with a sufficiently thick Enamel layer that permits a high level of esthetics for any type of restoration that might be fabricated.

CONCLUSION

“KATANA™ Zirconia” YML is our new zirconia disc product, which features a well-balanced combination of mechanical strength and esthetics. It has been developed by using our innovative zirconia manufacturing technology, as well as bringing together the essence of the development and production technology of multi-layered zirconia discs. We hope YML will be one of the options of choice for zirconia materials available to dentists and dental technologists who need to use multiple zirconia materials for various applications or who have concerns about the mechanical strength and esthetic properties of the zirconia materials they are currently using.

YML LINEUP

Virtual Kick-Off KATANA Zirconia Symposium

Lecture 1 of 3, Prof. Dr. Beuer
Watch how Prof. Dr. Beuer explains his experience with the new material. Two in one: Combining High Strength and High Translucent Zirconia.

Lecture 2 of 3, MDT Rondoni + MDT Rossi
Watch the recording of the KATANA Zirconia YML Online Symposium on July 3rd 2021, the second lecture plus hand-on which details the experience of MDT Rondoni and MDT Rossi with this new material.

Lecture 3 of 3 + Q&A, MDT Nondas Vlachopoulos
Mister Vlachopoulos deepdives in to a full procedure executed with the new material and demonstrates how liquid ceramics compliment the material establishing a very high-end aesthetic result.

By Kazunobu Yamada, RDT

With the new KATANA™ Zirconia YML it is extraordinarily easy to produce beautiful restorations. Brilliance and vitality may be added simply by applying CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain to the monolithic restoration after surface preparation.

A possible technique is demonstrated by Kazunobu Yamada, RDT, in this video.

By Kazunobu Yamada, RDT

Are you looking for a convenient finishing technique that allows you to successfully start using KATANA™ Zirconia YML for the production of life-like restorations?

In this video, Kazunobu Yamada, RDT, demonstrates how texturing and polishing of the lingual surface and texturing, pre-polishing and glazing of the labial surface of an anterior crown will deliver impressive outcomes.

Case by Marco Valenti, DDS and Angelo Canale, CDT

When dental zirconia evolved into a highly aesthetic material suitable for the production of restorations with a monolithic design or minimal labial cutback, the amount of hand work (ceramic layering) was reduced. At the same time, however, every dental laboratory needed to have more blanks available, and the need for an indication-specific material selection complicated the planning process.

Some dental technicians love to play with different blanks and with a combination of automated and manual work steps to exactly meet the patient and indication-specific needs. Others, however, would like to take a faster and more standardized path to beauty. For the latter group, Kuraray Noritake Inc. has just introduced a true allrounder. KATANA™ Zirconia YML is based on newly developed raw materials with different yttria content integrated into the company’s multi-layer colour structure. As a consequence, KATANA™ Zirconia YML offers colour, translucency and strength gradation throughout the blank, resulting in an unlimited indication range.

That sounds promising, but does it really work in the laboratory and clinical environment? Are there any hidden challenges with regard to designing and manufacturing? And how beautiful are the outcomes? In order to assess the material’s properties in real life and to see how it performs in our hands, we decided to select a complex case and run a clinical test.

INITIAL SITUATION AND TREATMENT PLAN

This female patient was concerned about the aesthetics of her maxillary anterior teeth (Figs. 1 and 2). Several porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns in the anterior (both central incisors) and posterior region (three premolars) had unsightly dark margins and an unnaturally opaque core. The adjacent natural teeth appeared more translucent and their look was compromised by several composite restorations with discoloured margins. A missing right first molar had caused second molar to drift mesially (Fig. 3). In addition, the left canine was missing, but the space had been closed (Fig. 4). Figure 5 provides an occlusal view of the pre-operative situation.

Fig. 1. Facial view of the pre-operative clinical situation.

Fig. 2. Frontal intraoral view of the patient’s teeth.

Fig. 3. Lateral view of the upper and lower right quadrant.

Fig. 4. Lateral view of the upper and lower left quadrant.

Fig. 5. Occlusal view of the maxillary teeth.

All restorations in the maxilla needed to be replaced, and the patient set great value on a long-lasting aesthetic improvement of the situation. Hence, an all-ceramic material needed to be selected. An orthodontic correction of the malocclusion prior to restorative treatment was not an option, so that the restorations needed to be adjusted to the existing clinical situation. In order to provide for a smooth optical integration, we decided to use a single material for all restorations from the incisors up to the second premolars. This was a great chance to put the new KATANA™ Zirconia YML to a test! It was planned to use the material monolithically with zero cutback and to just paint on an ultra-thin layer of liquid ceramics (CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain).

CLINICAL PROCEDURE

The old restorations were removed and tooth preparation was carried out (Fig. 6). A minimally-invasive structure removal is supported by the fact that KATANA™ Zirconia YML has a minimum wall thickness of just 0.4 mm in the anterior and 0.5 mm in the posterior region. Then, a digital impression was taken with 3Shape TRIOS 3 (Fig. 7). The acquired data was matched with photographs of the patient’s face to design a virtual wax-up (Fig. 8) and mill a temporary restoration in the dental laboratory. The placement of this temporary allowed for an aesthetic and functional assessment as well as a clinical test drive of the planned definitive restorations (Fig. 9). In this set-up, the left first premolar took over the function and shape of the missing canine. The fact that the gingival margin was slightly higher in the region of the right compared to the left central incisor did not bother the patient, so that an alignment (gingivectomy) was not necessary.

Fig. 6. Situation after tooth preparation with a heavily discoloured central incisor.

Fig. 7. Digital impression taken after tooth preparation.

Fig. 8. Smile design for the production of the temporary.

Fig. 9. Temporary restoration in place.

PRODUCTION OF THE FINAL RESTORATIONS

After successful completion of the test drive, a digital impression was taken with the temporary in place (Fig. 10). Based on this impression and the information acquired during the test drive, four full-contour crowns, two partial crowns and one bridge were designed (Fig. 11 to 13). The bridge in the region of the right first premolar to first molar had a small cantilever pontic to fill the reduced space of the missing first molar.

The restorations were milled from KATANA™ Zirconia YML. Despite the varying levels of flexural strength within the blank, virtual positioning of the restorations in the disc is extraordinarily easy. For the restorations produced in this case, it is only necessary to respect the minimum wall thickness and connector cross section recommended by the manufacturer. When long-span restorations (with more than three units) are planned, half of the connector cross sectional area needs to be positioned in the lower half of the blank. This is the case if a restoration is placed in the middle of the disc, independent of its size.

Fig. 10. Digital impression taken with the temporary restoration in place.

Fig. 11. Computer-aided design of the final restorations.

Fig. 12. Aesthetic assessment of the virtual design.

Fig. 13. Functional assessment of the virtual design.

FINISHING

Figures 14 and 15 show the sintered restorations on the resin models after the addition of individual textural features with hand instruments. A seamless multi-layer structure without transition lines and with a warm body area is obtained. For an even more natural appearance, some individual effects and glaze were added using the CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain kit from Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. (Fig. 16 to 19).

Fig. 14. Frontal view of the restorations on the resin models.

Fig. 15. Occlusal view of the restorations.

Fig. 16. Frontal view of the final restorations.

Fig. 17. Lateral view showing the bridge and the anterior crowns in the first quadrant.

Fig. 18. Lateral view showing the crowns in the second quadrant.

Fig. 19. Occlusal view of the lifelike restorations.

TREATMENT OUTCOME

The restorations were placed with the adhesive cementation system PANAVIA™ V5 (Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.). Figure 20 shows the treatment outcome immediately after cementation. The material masks the discolouration of the underlying tooth structure very well and offers a nice translucency in the incisal area.

FINAL SITUATION

Fig. 20. Treatment outcome.

A TRUE ALLROUNDER

Our test project confirmed that KATANA™ Zirconia YML is a high-quality material with a great aesthetic potential and no limits with regard to the indication range. It is surprisingly easy to design and position the restorations in the virtual blank and after milling, the surfaces are smooth, the margins are sharp and stable, and the fit is accurate. Micro-layering with paste stain is often sufficient for lively outcomes. This makes the new KATANA™ Zirconia YML the material of choice for anyone placing great value on a high level of automation, the standardization of laboratory workflows and efficient and easy procedures.

Dentists:

One for all: With KATANA™ Zirconia YML (yttria multi-layered), Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. has launched a true allrounder covering traditional and new zirconia indications. At the KATANA™ Zirconia YML Virtual Kick-Off Symposium on July 3, 2021, professionals from the clinical and technical field as well as scientific experts from Kuraray Noritake Inc. provided insights into the properties and benefits of the innovation. We had a conversation with three of them about the specific features of KATANA™ Zirconia YML and its potential role in the dental practice and laboratory. Mathias Fernandez Y Lombardi, EU Scientific Manager Dental Ceramics & CAD/CAM Materials, provided insights from inside the company, while Prof. Dr. Florian Beuer MME, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and MDT Nondas Vlachopoulos, owner of the dental laboratory AestheticLab in Athens, shared their external perspectives.

Prof. Dr. Florian Beuer MME and Mathias Fernandez Y Lombardi during the conversation at the Kick-Off Symposium in Munich.

MDT Nondas Vlachopoulos virtually attended the meeting.

What are the most important features and benefits of the new KATANA™ Zirconia YML?

Mathias Fernandez Y Lombardi: KATANA™ Zirconia YML is a 5^th generation zirconia featuring next-generation multi-layered technology: it offers colour, translucency and flexural strength gradation in one disc – for a virtually unlimited indication range. As it may be used as the only zirconia or even ceramic CAD/CAM material in a laboratory or milling centre, it is designed for everyone who would like to simplify and standardize laboratory procedures. It may be sintered within 54 minutes, offers a high accuracy of fit and may be finished using time-saving techniques.

The new discs presented at the KATANA™ Zirconia YML Virtual Kick-Off Symposium.

Multi-layered structure of KATANA™ Zirconia YML.

What are the benefits of using a single zirconia for every indication from the dental technician’s perspective?

Nondas Vlachopoulos: The use of a universal zirconia solution with a high aesthetic potential and well-aligned mechanical properties allows dental technicians to reduce their inventory and streamline their procedures – from designing to finishing. Nowadays, we all know that, in order to optimize the outcomes, it is essential that we develop a deep understanding of a material’s properties, respect its design parameters (like minimum wall thicknesses) and adhere to the sintering protocols. It is much easier to accomplish this for a single material than for many different ceramics, and the potential for errors is minimized with a single-material approach. With KATANA™ Zirconia YML, this approach enables us to produce very different outcomes depending on where the restoration is placed in the multi-layered blank.

What are the benefits of using KATANA™ Zirconia YML as the only ceramic material from the dental practitioner’s perspective?

Florian Beuer: To my mind, the most important benefit of using a single zirconia every time lies in a simplified documentation. When different ceramic materials are used in the dental laboratory, we need to keep track of the material selected in every single case. Only in this way, it is possible to make the right cementation decisions (regarding cement selection and the appropriate pre-treatment of the restoration). In addition, when it comes to failure of the restoration, we need to know which material was used to prove that it has been processed correctly and is suitable for the actual indication. This is much easier when a single material is used every time. Zirconia is predestined for this approach as it is forgiving, supports minimally invasive preparations and – in case of KATANA™ Zirconia YML – almost everything can be done with it.

What are the secrets of KATANA™ Zirconia YML that allow for excellent treatment outcomes despite the one-for-all approach?

Mathias Fernandez Y Lombardi: KATANA™ Zirconia YML is based on a completely new, seamless multi-layer technology combining different, newly developed raw materials with varying yttria concentrations in a single blank. The inhouse development of the powders and their precise adjustment of each other in terms of properties like shrinkage and coefficients of thermal expansion are prerequisites for a smooth transition from one layer to the next. Only if the layers are very well integrated, it will be possible to reliably produce even long-span restorations with a delicate design, perfect fit and flawless aesthetics (without transition lines). The aesthetic properties were also optimized by integrating clinical instead of purely technical translucency.

Please explain the term clinical translucency.

Mathias Fernandez Y Lombardi: Usually, translucency of dental materials like zirconia is measured in its white, pre-shaded state. This so-called technical translucency value is increased by adding yttria to the formulation, which makes the zirconia itself appear brighter (increasing the whiteness). The translucency of the final restoration, however, is also affected by pigments and other additives in the formulation. Consequently, monolithic restorations made of different materials with the same technical translucency value may vary widely in terms of their actual, clinical translucency, which affect the overall aesthetic potential. The formulation of KATANA™ Zirconia YML has been optimized by carefully selecting and combining the right additives to obtain a natural, tooth-like translucency.

Translucency and shade appearance of KATANA™ Zirconia YML (left column) compared to various other 5^th generation zirconia materials.

Nondas Vlachopoulos, is this measure of optimizing the clinical translucency a key feature enabling the one-for-all approach of KATANA™ Zirconia YML?

Nondas Vlachopoulos: The positive effect attributed to this measure is noticeable, as KATANA™ Zirconia YML has a particularly warm and natural appearance especially in the body area some other materials with flexural strength gradation are lacking. This leads to an exact colour match with the VITA classical A1-D4 shade guide, and reduces the need for manual shade adjustments. This is important for a one-for-all approach, as the material should be a perfect basis for the production of monolithic restorations, which are not covered by a thick porcelain layer able to mask any imperfections. However, there is another key feature that facilitates the zirconia’s use for virtually every indication: Its exceptional design flexibility. It enables users to control the translucency and overall aesthetics by positioning the restoration quite freely within the blank. For restorations with up to three units, there is a complete freedom of placement. Larger restorations with four or more units need to be positioned in a way that at least 50% of the connector cross-section is in the bottom half of the disc. This is easily accomplished and gives us optimal options to exploit the various properties of each layer depending on the aesthetics and strength needed in each specific case.

Positioning guidelines for KATANA™ Zirconia YML.

What is the recommended finishing procedure?

Mathias Fernandez Y Lombardi: In principle, all designs and finishing options are available for KATANA™ Zirconia YML – from a monolithic design individualized with liquid ceramics to microlayering after a minimal vestibular cutback or even full ceramic layering on frameworks. As the aesthetic potential of the zirconia is already high, however, we believe that in most cases, the first option is absolutely sufficient. In this case, a monolithic restoration is milled and the surface subsequently treated with our liquid ceramic system CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain. The pastes are easily applied in ultra-thin layers, very well controllable and wear resistant.

Anterior and posterior crown made of KATANA™ Zirconia YML after sintering (left part) and after sintering and finishing with CERABIEN™ ZR FC PASTE STAIN (right part).

Nondas Vlachopoulos, what is your preferred finishing procedure for restorations made of KATANA™ Zirconia YML?

Nondas Vlachopoulos: In the posterior area, I often opt for monolithic restorations individualized with CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain. The technique leads to beautiful outcomes a large majority of patients would love to see even in the anterior region. However, as orders for the production of anterior restorations coming my way are usually placed by clinicians and patients with the highest possible aesthetic demands, I often go for a framework design and full porcelain layering with CERABIEN ZR Porcelains. The materials (like EX-3 portfolio for metal frameworks) are based on synthetic feldspathic porcelain with a structure and particle distribution very similar to natural dentin and enamel. All in all, I like the fact that I can select the most suitable finishing technique for every individual case, and I believe that it is often possible to reduce the finishing effort to a minimum.

Clinical translucency, design flexibility, mechanical properties: Apparently, the differences between the available zirconia materials – even of the 5^th generation – are huge. How can users ensure that the material they select is of high quality and offers favourable mechanical as well as optical properties?

Florian Beuer: When the first-generation zirconia materials appeared on the dental market, laboratory testing revealed that there are huge differences in quality between materials of different manufacturers. Although independent studies comparing the properties and behaviour of 5^th generation zirconia are still scarce, it may be assumed that differences do exist. My recommendation is to select a several materials from well-known manufacturers supporting clinical studies, compare the study results already available, and test the selected options in the laboratory setting. Directly comparing design concepts, the processing quality and final appearance will most likely reveal which material is a dental technician’s favourite. I am sure that KATANA™ Zirconia YML is among the materials worth being tested.

Thank you for this insightful conversation.

Case by Dt Giuliano Moustakis

When producing restorations for the upper anterior region, the first thing that comes to a dental technician’s mind is the selection of a material that matches the colour and translucency of the patient’s natural teeth. The aim behind this action is to provide a perfect optical integration of the restorations to be produced. In order to achieve this optical integration, however, dental technicians need to focus on the surface morphology as well. The following clinical case is used to demonstrate how restorations with the right colour, translucency and texture are able to create a stunning, natural smile, even in complex cases.

The female patient had a periodontally compromised dentition with a missing maxillary lateral incisor and mandibular prognathism. Spacing was present in both jaws, but the patient decided not to undergo orthodontic treatment due to the challenging periodontal situation and the associated risk of losing additional teeth. Instead, a cosmetic camouflage was planned. As the existing direct restorations on the upper central incisors were in need of replacement, the restoration of choice was an all-ceramic, five-unit bridge. Knowing that this situation would best be solved with a material that offers high flexural strength in the body area (strictly mandatory for five-unit bridges) and high translucency in the enamel part (required to imitate nature in the anterior region), the new KATANA™ Zirconia YML was selected. Thanks to its multi-layer structure with colour, translucency and flexural strength gradation (achieved through yttria content gradation), this material offers exactly the desired properties. We decided to use it with a slight vestibular cutback and microlayering with CERABIEN™ ZR (CZR) porcelain.

Fig. 1 Pre-operative clinical situation with a Class III Malocclusion, a missing lateral incisor, spacing and periodontally compromised teeth in both jaws.

Fig. 2 Lateral view of the pre-operative situation.

Fig. 3 Shade determination in the dental office.

Fig. 4 Maxillary central and lateral incisors and right canine after tooth preparation.

Fig. 5 Printed models of both jaws based on an intraoral scan. This view reveals the discrepancy between the upper and lower jaws that needs to be camouflaged.

Fig. 6 Vestibular and incisal reduction and surface texturing on the pre-sintered restorations made of KATANA™ Zirconia YML. Integration of mamelon structures with a round-end straight carbide bur.

Fig. 7 Integration of horizontal growth grooves with a coneshaped instrument (Panther Stone 040).

Fig. 8 Translucency of the reduced bridge after sintering.

Fig. 9 KATANA™ Zirconia YML structure on the model after sintering.

Fig. 10 Silicone index revealing the space generated in the cutback procedure.

Fig. 11 Evaluation of the camouflage effect.

Fig. 12 Try-in of the zirconia structure.

Fig. 13 Sandblasted bridge ready for microlayering.

Fig. 14 Bridge after the application of internal stains and a single layer of CERABIEN™ ZR Body (A3B) and CERABIEN™ ZR Luster Porcelain (LT1, LT Royal Blue, LTx and LT Coral mixed with Incisal Aureola).

Fig. 15 Chromatic map of the microlayering procedure.

Fig. 16 Palatal view of the restoration.

Fig. 17 Bridge after the first bake and the addition of LT1.

Fig. 18 Finished restoration. In order to optimize the look of tooth and gingiva parts, a final layer of CERABIEN™ ZR FC Paste Stain and Glaze was added.

Fig. 19 Palatal view of the restoration after finishing.

Fig. 20 Try-in of the bridge for aesthetic and functional evaluation.

FINAL SITUATION

Fig. 21 Treatment outcome.

CONCLUSION

This clinical case shows that KATANA™ Zirconia is an innovative material with high aesthetic potential. Despite flexural strength gradation, there are no severe design restrictions that limit the indication range. Instead, it is easy to design and produce even long-span bridges. Furthermore, due to the material’s high aesthetic potential, a monolithic design with zero cutback and paste staining with liquid ceramics is often an option. If users want to add a porcelain layer, a simplified and time-efficient microlayering approach is highly recommended. In any case, a natural surface morphology should be integrated, as it is essential for an aesthetic outcome.

Dentist:

DT GIULIANO MOUSTAKIS