Vahvalla ja kestävällä sidoksella hampaan ja restauraation välissä on ratkaiseva merkitys hoitotuloksen pitkäikäisyyden kannalta. Sidoksen laatuun ei kuitenkaan vaikuta vain käytetty sidosaine tai sementti, vaan myös itse sidostettava pinta. Haluttaessa varmistaa puhtaat sidostettavat pinnat niin hampaassa kuin restauraatiossa Kuraray Noritake Dentalin kehittämä KATANA™ Cleaner on oiva ratkaisu – universaali puhdistin MDP-suolalla ja 4,5 pH:lla suun sisäpuoliseen ja ulkopuoliseen käyttöön.

On todistettu, että syljen ja veren proteiinit vaikuttavat sidoksen lujuuteen heikentävästi. Erityisissä epäsuorissa toimenpiteissä on mahdotonta pitää sidostettavia pintoja puhtaina suun nesteistä. Viimeistään sovituksen aikana preparoitu hammas ja restauraatio kontaminoituvat ja ne tulee puhdistaa. Vedellä huuhtelu ei tuota haluttua vaikutusta eikä useat saatavilla olevat puhdisteetkaan , vaan tietty määrä proteiineja jää yleensä pintaan. Testit osoittavat, että käyttämällä KATANA™ Cleaneriä tai hiekkapuhallusta, saavutetaan tarvittava tehokas puhdistustulos vaarantamatta sidoksen lujuutta. Tämä pätee KATANA™ Zirconia -restauraatioihin, mutta KATANA™ Cleaner toimii myös dentiinille ja kiilteelle, joille hiekkapuhallus ja useimmat muut puhdistimet eivät ole indikoidut.

KATANA™ Cleanerin käyttö tarjoaa vielä yhden lisäedun: puhdistustoimenpide on poikkeuksellisen yksinkertainen, nopea ja siisti. Universaalin puhdistimen pullon innovatiivinen korkki mahdollistaa yhdellä kädellä avauksen ja annostelun vientimaljaan. Sen jälkeen se hierotaan restauraatiolle ja preparoidulle hammasrakenteelle tai nastalle kymmenen sekunnin ajan, huuhdellaan vedellä ja kuivataan. MDP-suolan korkean pinta-aktiivisuuden ansiosta nämä kymmenen sekuntia riittävät poistamaan proteiinit pinnoilta melkein täysin luoden olosuhteet, jotka ovat hyvin samanlaiset kuin ei-kontaminoituneilla sidospinnoilla. Tämän jälkeen valittu sidosaine tai sementti – esim. PANAVIA™ V5 tai PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal – applikoidaan valmistajan käyttöohjeiden mukaisesti.

Tuloksena on vahva, pitkäkestoinen ja luotettava sidos. Pilottikäyttäjät, jotka ovat jo testanneet tuotetta, ovat yhtä mieltä, että KATANA™ Cleaner tarjoaa helpon tavan optimoida sidoksen laatu ja selkeyttää sidostukseen liittyvät toimenpiteet.

CLEARFIL MAJESTY^TM ES Flow -yhdistelmämuovista, jonka Dental Advisor on palkinnut viitenä vuonna peräkkäin, on nyt saatavana kolmena eri juoksevuutena, mikä tekee tuotteesta aiempaa monikäyttöisemmän. Hammashoidon ammattilaiset pystyvät saavuttamaan halutun lopputuloksen entistä nopeammin ja helpommin.

Yleiskäyttöinen juokseva CLEARFIL MAJESTY^TM ES Flow -yhdistelmämuovi on uusi innovaatio, jonka on kehittänyt Kuraray Noritake Dental –yritys, joka tunnetaan maailmanlaajuisesti asiantuntemuksestaan restauraatiomateriaalien alalla. Kuraray Noritake Dental on kehittänyt suurta suosiota saavuttaneen CLEARFIL MAJESTY^TM Flow -yhdistelmämuovin pohjalta uuden korkealaatuisen tuotteen, jolla soveltuu täytteisiin, korjauksiin ja sementointiin. Kaikkien näiden ominaisuuksien yhdistäminen yhteen tuotteeseen tekee muut yhdistelmämuovit tarpeettomiksi.

Kuraray Noritake Dentalin kehittämän silanointitekniikan ansiosta CLEARFIL MAJESTY^TM ES FLOW -yhdistelmämuovi s sekä submikronifillereitä että nanoklusterifillereitä. Tämän ansiosta CLEARFIL MAJESTY^TM ES FLOWn filleripitoisuus on korkea, mutta juoksevuus silti hyvä. Tuotteen esteettisyys on erinomainen, sillä nanoklusterifillerit hajottavat valoa niin, että yhdistelmämuovi sulautuu saumattomasti ympäröivään hammasrakenteeseen.

CLEARFIL MAJESTY^TM ES FLOW -yhdistelmämuovin etuja:

• Varma toimivuus ja helppo käsittely: annostelu suoraan ruiskusta, helppo ja nopea kiillotus
• Kestävä: yhdistelmämuovin taivutuslujuus on 150 MPa ja puristuslujuus 373 MPa
• Moniin eri indikaatioihin: kaikki kaviteettiluokat, korjaukset ja sementoinnit
• Estetiikka: valon sirotusteknologian ansiosta väri sulautuu erinomaisesti ympäristöön

AINOA YHDISTELMÄMUOVI, JONKA HAMMASLÄÄKÄRI TARVITSEE.

Kuraray Noritake Dental kehittää, valmistaa ja toimittaa hammashoitoalan täytemateriaaleja hammaslääkkäreille sekä proteettisia materiaaleja teknikoille maailmanlaajuisesti. Yhtiöllä, jonka pääkonttori on Japanissa, on Euroopassa toiminnot useassa maassa. Benelux-maiden Baltian ja Pohjoismaiden alueen myynti, markkinointi ja logistiikka johdetaan Amsterdamin (Hollanti) lähellä sijaitsevasta toimistosta käsin. Kuraray Noritake Dental on osa listattua monikansallista ja kansainvälistä Kuraray yhtiötä, joka valmistaa esimerkiksi kemian alan puolivalmisteita ja jonka liikevaihto on noin 3 miljardia euroa. Kuraray Noritake Dental on saanut paljon ansaittua kiitosta tuotteilla kuten PANAVIA™ sementit, CLEARFIL™ SE BOND, CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ja Katana sekä muilla hammasalan innovatiivisilla tuotteilla.

Tausta
Kuraray Noritake Dental kasvaa ja laajentaa toimintojaan jatkuvasti. Kasvun optimoimiseksi pohjoisella alueella haemme nyt Business Development Manageria Dentalpuolelle
Suomeen. Business Development Manager Dental Finland Business Development Manager vastaa Suomen myynnin kasvusta ja kehityksestä sekä markkina-aseman vahvistamisesta Kuraray Noritake Dentalille. Managerin avaintehtäviin sisältyy Baltian maiden tukeminen: jälleenmyyjät, yliopistot, hammaslääkärit, konferenssit, luennointi ja kurssit niin hammaslääkäreille kuin teknikoille. Olet luonteeltasi erittäin myyntiorientoitunut, kykenet saavuttamaan tuloksia haasteellisissa ja pitkäkestoisissa päätösprosesseissa, olet jatkuvasti utelias ja kiinnostunut ja haluat vakuuttaa asiakkaasi asiantuntemuksellasi. Raportoit Benelux/Nordics –toimintojen toimitusjohtajalle ja olet osa nykyistä Nordic & Baltic myyntitiimiä.

Profiili
Omaat vahvat kommunikointitaidot yhdistettynä strategiseen näkemykseen ja laajaan kokemukseen hammashoitoalalta ja myynnistä. Matkustaminen eri maissa luontuu Sinulta ja englannin kielen taitosi on hyvä.

Kuraray Europe Benelux
Kuraray Europe Benelux on Benelux/Nordicsin toimisto japanilaisen emoyhtiön alaisuudessa. Aktiivinen, energinen ja tiiviisti yhteen nivoutunut tiimimme hallinoi Beneluxmaita, Pohjoismaita ja Baltiaa. Lisäksi vastaamme koko Euroopasta hammasalan tuotteiden jakelun osalta.Kiteytettynä yrityskulttuurimme kuvaus olisi: pragmaattinen toiminta, nopea reagointi kaupallisiin ja avoimiin mahdollisuuksiin pyrkien tunnistamaan ja hyödyntämään ne.

Työehdot
Tarjoamme kokemukseen perustuvan palkan, autoedun, puhelimen, tietokoneen, kannustusjärjestelmän sekä kattavan koulutuksen.

Ota yhteyttä lisätietojen saamiseksi tai lähetä hakemuksesi:

Kuraray Europe Benelux, Nordics & Baltics
p.o. box 299, 1970 AG IJmuiden, the Netherlands

Mrs Claire Heslenfeld (HRM)
E-mail: [email protected]
tel. 094 245 3274
www.kuraraynoritake.eu/fi

An ideal composite material should satisfy three basic requirements: function, aesthetics and biocompatibility. A member of the CLEARFIL MAJESTY family, Kuraray Noritake Dental’s CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow combines excellent handling, polishability and mechanical strength to provide a solution for all cavity classes. This universal flowable composite employs silane and filler technologies to maximise both its procedural and aesthetic outcomes, allowing dentists to create long-lasting restorations with reduced chairside time.

A new standard for flowable composites

Traditionally, a composite’s flowability has been inversely related to its filler content. When flowable composites were first introduced in the mid-1990s, their lower viscosity was enabled by a filler level much lower than that of conventional composites. This, however, meant that these flowables fared poorly in a clinical setting, demonstrating inferior mechanical properties when compared to traditional hybrid composites.

With CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow, dentists can now use a flowable composite with mechanical properties comparable to those of conventional alternatives. Thanks to Kuraray Noritake Dental’s silane technology, millions of submicron filler particles fit into the composite, reliably adhering to the resin and maintaining long-term stability. CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow possesses a scientifically tested flexural strength of over 150 MPa, similar to that of a universal nano hybrid composite, making it suitable for use in Class I and II restorations.

Aesthetic restorations

However, the small, durable particles of CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow provide more than just mechanical reliability. Special cluster fillers provide a light diffusion effect that is similar to that of natural teeth, meaning that the material blends effortlessly with the existing tooth structure. Unlike other flowables, CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow is glossy immediately after curing. This gloss can be improved with remarkable simplicity—simply wipe the cured resin with an ethanol-moistened gauze or cotton roll to produce a smooth surface that is proven to maintain its gloss over time.

Ideal handling

CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow’s low viscosity monomers ensure that it has excellent handling characteristics, promising better sculpting for the dentist. The flowable composite does not stick to the needle tip or to any instruments, only adhering to the area to which it is applied, while the proprietary design of the syringe itself minimises air bubbles when dispensing. Once dispensed, the paste possesses great consistency with its non-slumping formula, ensuring that it can maintain its shape. A truly universal composite, CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow allows dentists to create highly aesthetic restorations with ease.

Obtain results in four simple steps

Creating aesthetic and durable restorations has never been more achievable. Simply prepare the cavity and apply bonding, dispense and sculpt the CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow, light-cure and, finally, polish. It’s as easy as that.

DENTAL ADVISOR SIX-MONTH PROGRESS REPORT

Summary
Over a six-month period, 96 restorations were placed. The clinical performance at the time of placement was excellent for esthetics, handling, ease of adjustment, and ease of finish/polish. There were no reports of post-operative sensitivity or debonding. Based on the placement period, CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick with CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow received a clinical performance rating of 100%.

Description:

CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow is a light-cured, universal flowable composite.

It contains submicron fillers that are treated with a proprietary silane

coupling agent to provide for low shrinkage and high mechanical

properties. The submicron fillers and high filler load provide for esthetics.

CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick is a single-bottle, universal bonding agent

that contains a novel rapid bond technology and releases fluoride. It is

compatible with total-, self- and selective-etch techniques and with light-,

self- and dual-cured materials (with CLEARFIL DC Activator).

Clinical Evaluation Protocol (Six Months):

A total of 96 CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick with CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES

Flow restorations were placed in 44 molars, 26 premolars and 26 anterior

teeth (Figure 1). The classification of restorations was recorded as 44 Class

I, 7 Class II, 1 Class III, 30 Class V, and 14 Class VI restorations (Figure 2).

Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.

Results at Six Months:

There were no reports of post-operative sensitivity for CLEARFIL Universal

Bond Quick with CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow. All 96 restorations received

excellent ratings of five for esthetics, handling, ease of adjustment, and

ease of finish/polish (Figure 3). No debonding was observed.

All restorations were evaluated at placement in the following areas: lack
of post-operative sensitivity, esthetics, handling, ease of adjustment, and
ease of finish/polish. Restorations were evaluated on a 1-5 rating scale:
1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, 4 = very good, 5 = excellent.

Consultants’ Comments
• “I love flowables - CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow is in a class of its own.”
• “I use CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow regularly in areas of incipient decay
- flows well, very esthetic and polishes easily.”
• “CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow is my go-to flowable to repair small chips
in anterior teeth. It blends seamlessly with the tooth.”
• “Great to use in abfraction areas in conjunction with CLEARFIL
Universal Bond Quick. CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow bonds well and is
very easy to finish and polish. Patients love the outcome.”

Get to know the CLEARFIL MAJESTY family

Kuraray Noritake Dental is proud to present the CLEARFIL MAJESTY family, a series of universal composites designed for reliable, natural-looking restorations. With its brightness-based shade system for direct composites, CLEARFIL MAJESTY is another symbol of our company’s dedication to research and development, promising ease of use and reproducibility for the dentist.

CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Classic and Premium

A universal nano-hybrid composite resin with a high refractive matrix, CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Classic was introduced to the world at the 2013 International Dental Show in Germany. It combines easy sculpting with a predictable and aesthetic finish for a composite that will benefit both the dentist and the patient. With 15 precisely matched VITA shades and some special shades for whitening, it is suitable for a range of anterior and posterior restorations, including all cavity classes, composite facings, intra-oral repairs of fractured crowns and bridges, and corrections of tooth positioning and shape. CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Classic uses Kuraray Noritake Dental’s Light Diffusion (LD) technology to accurately replicate the diffusive properties of dentine. This feature means that restorations blend in with the existing tooth structure, rendering them virtually undetectable.

Through its fixed shade combinations of dentine and enamel, CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Premium is able to cover three VITA shades at once, making natural-looking restorations easily achievable. This dual-layer aspect means that there is an optimal built-in pairing of enamel translucency and dentine opacity, eliminating the need for any complicated shading schemes. By also incorporating LD technology, CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Premium is able to adjust the colour saturation and tint to that of the neighbouring tooth issue automatically. The small particle size of its proprietary nano-filled composite ensures easy polishing with a durable gloss, promising an aesthetic and seamless restoration.

CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow

A light-curing universal, flowable composite, CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow combines easy handling, high polishability and impressive mechanical strength to provide a material for all cavity classes. Thanks to Kuraray Noritake Dental’s silane technology, its submicron filler particles adhere reliably to the resin and maintain long-term stability. These small yet durable particles allow restorations made with CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow to keep their high level of enamel gloss over time, with special cluster fillers providing a light diffusion property similar to that of natural teeth. The gloss itself is remarkably simple to achieve: just wipe the cured resin with an ethanol-moistened gauze or cotton roll to produce a smooth surface.

CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow’s excellent handling characteristics allow for better sculpting. The material does not stick to the needle tip or to any instruments, only adhering to the area to which it is applied, and the proprietary design of the syringe itself minimises air bubbles when dispensing. A truly universal composite, CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES Flow allows dentists to create highly aesthetic restorations with ease.

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

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

PRESS RELEASE

EXPERTS PRESENT IMPORTANT FINDINGS ON THE ADVANCED BONDING PROPERTIES OF THE NEW ONE-BOTTLE UNIVERSAL ADHESIVE: CLEARFIL™ UNIVERSAL BOND QUICK

Hattersheim, Germany – January 2017  

The 2nd December 2016 saw the annual Kuraray Noritake Expert Symposium in Frankfurt with more than 60 leading adhesives and composites experts from universities all over Europe meeting to discuss and share new advances in the world of adhesive technology, notably CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick: the new one-bottle universal adhesive by Kuraray Noritake Dental which is to be launched in Europe in February. Prof. Dr. Bart Van Meerbeek from the KU Leuven - BIOMAT - University Hospitals Leuven/Belgium, acted as Symposium Moderator.

Starting off the day’s proceedings, Yusuke Fujimura, Technical Manager and Chief Developer at Kuraray Noritake Dental demonstrated how, unlike most other bonding agents, CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick works instantly, removing the need for waiting time, extensive rubbing or multiple layer application. This was followed by Professor Dr Bart Van Meerbeek who discussed the problems associated with conventional total-etch methods whereby strong phosphoric acid is applied to the dentin, dissolving the natural tooth protector hydroxyapatite and exposing the collagen matrix. He posed the fundamental question:” Why demineralise the tooth with strong acids only to remineralise it again?”

Also on the agenda were four individual studies, each tested far over and above the legally-required ISO standards, providing insights into the fact that the longevity prognosis for bonded restoration is absolutely dependent on both the quality of the adhesives and the effect of the procedural steps. Luc Randolph, Materials Research Engineer at the University of Louvain-la-Neuve/Belgium, reported on shear bond strength tests using the new universal adhesive CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick concluding that: “Among the all-in-one universal alternatives, the new CUBQ technology appears equally efficient despite the absence of waiting time after application, making it a more user-friendly and convenient option than its competitors.”

Prof. Dr. Amélie Mainjot from the University of Liège/Belgium went a step further demonstrating highly positive bond results for zirconia which showed, even after thermocycling, comparable bond strength to Vita Mark II class-ceramic instead of pre-test failures when not treated with CLEARFIL™  Universal Bond Quick.

Finally, Prof. Dr. Mutlu Özcan from the University of Zurich/Switzerland, concluded that, whereas the described method of air-abrasion increases the adhesion results for the majority of adhesives, air-abrasion may not be needed for CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick.

Over the course of the day the speakers presented many enlightening research results which participants were able to take away with them. However, before they left, Prof Van Meerbeek called for a panel discussion so that speakers could collaborate with the audience on requests for future development and findings.

CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick is launched in Europe on the 1st of February 2017. 

Read the full report: Kuraray Noritake Symposium Report (PDF: 360 Kb)

Kuraray celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2016. We take the opportunity of this occasion to offer you a glimpse of the history of Kuraray from a new perspective. The name Kuraray represents more than 8,300 employees and an annual turnover of approximately 3.7 billion euros. Kuraray was founded in Kurashiki, Japan, in June 1926, by Magosaburo Ohara. Kuraray began with the domestic production of Rayon, a synthetically produced cellulose fibre referred to as artificial silk, a new and innovative product at the time. 

The name KURARAY is derived from the location: Kurashiki and the product manufactured: Rayon. The development of this branch of production developed very quickly in Japan, with many other major manufacturers establishing themselves during this period. Whereas others recruited their technicians and experts from elsewhere, Kuraray established the Kyoko Research Laboratory, which was managed by the University of Kyoto to generate expertise and support for the development of the required technologies. Ohara also committed himself to cultural and social projects. The building of an art gallery and the financing of an orphanage represent only two of his many projects in Kurashiki. The Ohara Museum of Art was the first private museum of Western art in Japan.

Ohara considered the dreadful conditions in which employees commonly worked and lived at the time to be unacceptable; he was not a profit-driven employer, and attempted to solve such issues. He ensured that decent accommodation, fitness facilities and nursery schools were built to provide young employees, or families who had left their homes to work for Kuraray, with everything they needed for education and a healthy and culturally rich lifestyle.
One of the largest general hospitals in the west of Japan, the Kurashiki Central Hospital, was originally founded by Kuraray to promote the well-being of employees and their families. It is still considered to be one of the most famous hospitals in Japan.

With the production of Kuralon in 1950, developed from the in-house manufactured products PVA and vinyl acetate, Kuraray expanded to become the specialist chemical company it is today. Always intent on making a contribution to the good of society, Kuraray addressed the subject of environmental protection very early on. The visionary Ohara was aware of the seriousness of environmental pollution, and made great efforts to prevent it.

Internationally too, Kuraray has remained aware of its social responsibilities. After the war, a production facility was opened in China which helped to improve the poor post-war living conditions of the Chinese population.
Today, Kuraray is a leading global manufacturer of the specialist chemicals used in many aspects of daily life. Kuraray has always viewed its employees as its most important asset, and continues to do so to this day.

During my presentations I am often asked why clinical research into bonding systems is conducted using class V situations.

The non-carious class V lesion is most suitable for this type of research for a number of reasons. Unquestionably, the main reason is the fact that such lesions present little or no macro retention. It must be remembered that if a cavity presents macro retention, loss of adhesive strength in the bonding interface will not automatically lead to loss of retention.

Other major reasons (in no particular order) are that such lesions occur relatively often, but also that in general they are situated in an easily accessible area and do not demand complex restoration technology. The configuration factor is low (ratio between free and bonded areas) and does not therefore cause much shrinkage stress. In addition, both enamel and dentine are involved in the restoration, although in some studies efforts are made to limit bonding to enamel (for example, in Van Dijken et al., Clinical long-term retention of etch-and-rinse and self-etch adhesive systems in non-carious cervical lesions. A 13 year evaluation. Dent Mat 2007).

The restoration is then re-assessed periodically. Obviously, loss of retention is considered, and sometimes restorations are also assessed on marginal integrity, marginal discolouring and aesthetics.

Whenever a restoration goes wrong, this is noted as a failure. The survival/lifetime of restorations is expressed in an Annual Failure Rate; for example, an AFR of 4.6 means that, on an annual basis, 4.6% of the restorations failed in the course of the study.