Clinical Cases, Labside Micro-layering with CERABIEN™ MiLai 14. okt. 2025 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.
Intuitive shade matching goes flowable! 9. okt. 2025 CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal, available in two flowabilities, transforms shade matching into an effortless endeavor—no shade guide required! With just two complementary shades, U and UD, it seamlessly blends with the surrounding tooth structure, empowering you to create beautiful restorations with minimal effort. As it is as strong as many paste-type composites, it opens the door to a wide range of applications. For those users who would like to maximise their clinical efficiency without compromising on treatment quality, the combination with other high-quality materials of Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.’s universal portfolio – e.g. with CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 – is highly recommended. Consisting of fewer components and requiring fewer steps, these products reduce the procedural complexity and smooth the way for great outcomes. More information about CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal and the whole universal portfolio is available online.
CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal: Den flytende kompositten for alle indikasjoner 9. okt. 2025 Med CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal får både fargetilpasning og allsidighet en ny standard. Den innovative flytende kompositten finnes i to viskositeter, som gir tannlegen større frihet i håndteringen og samtidig sikrer jevne resultater. Med kun to universalfarger, U og UD, blender materialet naturlig inn i den omkringliggende tannsubstansen – helt uten behov for fargeskala. Styrke er et annet kjennetegn. På nivå med mange kompositter i pastetype, støtter CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal et bredt spekter av restorative indikasjoner. Variasjonen Super Low beholder formen selv i okklusalområder og er ideell for oppbygging av posterior cusper og kanter. Variasjonen Low er en standard flytende kompositt som passer til et stort antall indikasjoner. I kombinasjon med CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 blir prosedyrene enda mer effektive. Dette neste generasjons adhesivmaterialet bygger på innovativ teknologi som gir en rekke fordeler: perfekt arbeidstid, ingen behov for å riste flasken, ingen rubbing, ingen ventetid og ingen påføring i flere lag. Bare appliser, tørk og herd. Sammen utgjør disse løsningene en del av Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. sitt Universal Excellence-portefølje: intelligent designede materialer som kombinerer styrke, estetikk og effektivitet i den daglige restorative arbeidsflyten. Se videoene om direkte restaureringsprosedyrer for å oppleve hvordan CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal (Super Low og Low) og CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 fungerer sømløst sammen.
Intuitiv fargetilpasning – nå i flytende form! 9. okt. 2025 Intuitiv fargetilpasning – nå i flytende form! CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal gjør det enkelt å oppnå perfekte restaureringer. Materialet finnes i to ulike flytbarheter og eliminerer behovet for fargeguide – alt du trenger er to universelle nyanser, U og UD, som harmonerer sømløst med den naturlige tannstrukturen. Resultatet blir vakre restaureringer med minimal innsats. Til tross for sin flytende konsistens er styrken på nivå med mange tradisjonelle kompositter i pastaform, noe som åpner for et bredt spekter av kliniske bruksområder. For deg som ønsker å kombinere høy effektivitet med kompromissløs kvalitet, anbefales CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 og andre premiumprodukter fra Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. sitt universelle sortiment. Med færre komponenter og enklere trinn gjør disse produktene behandlingen mer smidig – og veien til flotte resultater kortere. Oppdag mer om CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal og hele det universelle sortimentet på våre nettsider.
News Feature To nyanser, alle tannfarger 7. okt. 2025 CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal VINNER FORSKNINGSPRIS Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. har nettopp lansert en flytende kompositt med et forenklet fargekonsept: CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal. Som publisert i januar/februar 2025-utgaven av det USA-baserte Dental Advisor, mottok det splitter nye produktet en prestisjefylt forskningspris for sin overbevisende in-vitro-ytelse. EGENSKAPER I ET NØTTESKALL I Europa ble CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal nylig lansert i to viskositeter – Low og Super Low, mens i USA er Super Low-varianten tilgjengelig. For å gjøre fargeutvelgelsen enkel, er materialet utstyrt med en smart kombinasjon av emaljelignende translusens, dentinlignende kromaticitet og unik Light-Diffusion Technology (LDT). Dette gir enestående evne til fargetilpasning og gjør det mulig å begrense fargespekteret til bare to komplementære nyanser – universal (U) og universal dark (UD). Etter herding blender materialet naturlig inn med den omkringliggende tannstrukturen. Bortsett fra intuitiv fargeutvelgelse, tilbyr den flytende kompositten en annen stor fordel: dens eksepsjonelt høye styrke. Med en bøyestyrke på 152 MPa og en trykkstyrke på 374 MPa er CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal (Super Low) like sterk som mange komposittmaterialer i pastaform. Dermed er den egnet selv i belastede områder og indikert for: Direkte restaureringer for alle kavitetsklasser, cervikale lesjoner (f.eks. rotkaries, V-formede defekter), tannslitasje og tannerosjon Kavitetssåle / liner Korrigering av tannposisjon og tannform (f.eks. lukking av diastema, tannmisdannelser) Intraoral reparasjon av frakturerte restaureringer Sementering av keramiske og kompositt-inlays, onlays og fasetter med mindre enn 2 mm tykkelse IMPONERENDE IN-VITRO-YTELSE Varianten med Super Low flyteevne, som tilbys i USA, ble testet ved Dental Advisor Biomaterials Research Center og sammenlignet med to andre flytende kompositter. Blant egenskapene som ble evaluert var materialenes bøyestyrke, elastisitetsmodul, bruddseighet, trykkstyrke og røntgentetthet. I tillegg vurderte forskerne materialenes evne til fargetilpasning i forbindelse med restaurering av klasse V-kaviteter i A1-, B2-, C3- og D4-fargede protese-tenner. Til slutt ble også røntgentetthet og flyteegenskaper testet. CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal presterte svært godt på alle områder. De fysiske egenskapene viste seg å være blant de høyeste for flytende kompositter og på et tilsvarende nivå som alternativer i pastaform. Røntgentettheten ble vurdert som ideell, det samme gjaldt viskositeten, ettersom materialet beholder sin opprinnelige form etter påføring. Og selv om det kun tilbys i to nyanser, bekreftet forskerne at CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal tilpasser seg et bredt spekter av naturlige tannfarger. OM DENTAL ADVISOR Top Product- og Preferred Product-prisene fra Dental Advisor, en USA-basert organisasjon, ble etablert for å hjelpe travle tannleger med å navigere i mangfoldet av nye dentale løsninger, spesielt for mindre invasive teknikker og standardiserte prosedyrer. Disse prisene har som mål å identifisere produkter som konsekvent forbedrer behandlingsresultater. Dental Advisor gjennomfører kliniske evalueringer og tester av produktenes ytelse kort tid etter lansering, og publiserer årlige resultater på nett for å hjelpe tannleger med å identifisere høykvalitets dentale materialer som passer deres spesifikke behov. Research Awards ble opprettet for å hedre produsenter av dentale produkter som viser et kontinuerlig engasjement for forskning, utvikling og videreutvikling av dentale materialer for å heve kvaliteten på behandlingen. For mer informasjon, besøk Dental Advisor på: www.dentaladvisor.com
News Feature Durably strong, highly aesthetic 7. okt. 2025 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
News Feature Prosedyre for forsegling av en preparert abutmenttann (for indirekte restaureringer) med CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 30. sep. 2025 CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 er vårt nyeste fremskritt innen universell bonding. Bygget på den pålitelige ytelsen til sin forgjenger, kombinerer dette neste generasjons adhesiv innovativ teknologi som gir en rekke bemerkelsesverdige fordeler. Ved å kombinere tre nøkkelmonomerer i vår proprietære Advanced Rapid Bond Technology, har vi forbedret flyteevne og styrke, økt motstand mot krymping – samtidig som produktet er egnet for oppbevaring ved romtemperatur. CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 gir en rask og pålitelig løsning for forsegling av abutments/distanser. Den avanserte bondingteknologien sikrer sterk vedheft, redusert mikrolekkasje og en holdbar forsegling. Påfør, tørk og herd. Ta en titt på denne forutsigbare og effektive prosedyren som beskytter abutmentet/distansen og øker suksessen ved langtidsrestaureringer. Workflow for sealing a prepared abutment tooth (for indirect restorations and CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2.
News Feature Prosedyre for sementering av indirekte restaureringer med PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal og CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 30. sep. 2025 CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 er vårt nyeste fremskritt innen universell bonding. Bygget på den pålitelige ytelsen til sin forgjenger, kombinerer dette neste generasjons adhesiv innovativ teknologi som gir en rekke bemerkelsesverdige fordeler. Ved å kombinere tre nøkkelmonomerer i vår proprietære **Advanced Rapid Bond Technology**, har vi forbedret flyteevne og styrke, økt motstand mot krymping – samtidig som produktet er egnet for oppbevaring ved romtemperatur. Arbeidstiden er ideell. Det er ikke nødvendig å riste flasken, gnikke, vente eller påføre flere lag. Bare påfør, tørk og herd. PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal forenkler sementeringsprosessen ved å eliminere unødvendige steg. Det er ikke behov for en separat primer – påfør bare sementen og fortsett med restaureringen. Sementen er designet for å fungere utmerket med en rekke restaureringsmaterialer, inkludert glasskeramikk, og gir deg større trygghet i resultatene. Sammen representerer disse to produktene essensen av Universal Excellence, ved å forenkle arbeidsflyten samtidig som du kan være trygg på pålitelige, estetiske og sterke resultater. Workflow for cementation of indirect restorations with PANAVIA SA Cement Universal and CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2.
News Feature Prosedyrevideo med CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Universal og CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2 30. sep. 2025 CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 er vårt nyeste fremskritt innen universale bondinger. Med utgangspunkt i den velprøvde ytelsen til forgjengeren, kombinerer denne neste generasjons adhesiv innovativ teknologi som gir en rekke bemerkelsesverdige fordeler. Ved å kombinere tre nøkkelmonomerer i vår proprietære Advanced Rapid Bond Technology, har vi forbedret flytbarhet og styrke, økt motstand mot krymping – og samtidig gjort produktet egnet for oppbevaring i romtemperatur. Arbeidstiden er ideell. Du trenger ikke riste flasken, ikke gni, ikke vente, og ikke legge flere lag. Bare påfør, tørk og herd. Disse forbedringene passer sømløst inn i Kuraray Noritakes visjon: en verden der materialene og verktøyene dine fungerer problemfritt i hendene dine, der kompleksitet er minimert, og der du får tid til å fokusere på det som betyr mest – de individuelle ønskene og behovene til hver enkelt pasient. For å oppnå dette har vi vært på en utrettelig reise for å forenkle, forbedre og raffinere våre materialer gjennom de siste tiårene. Ved å designe produktene våre med omtanke og skape synergi mellom ulike teknologier, har vi sørget for at de fungerer i perfekt harmoni. Vi utvikler løsninger som støtter skånsom, defektorientert behandling – alltid med pasientens velvære i sentrum. CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 er kjernen i vår Universal Excellence-portefølje. Den leverer fremragende resultater – enten du velger å kombinere den med andre produkter fra Universal Excellence-serien, andre løsninger fra vår portefølje, eller til og med resinsementer fra konkurrenter. I denne prosedyre-videoen finner du en demonstrasjon av direkte restaureringsprosedyre med CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Universal-kompositt og CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2. CLEARFIL MAJESTY ES-2 Universal ble utviklet for å hoppe over fargevalg og øke klinisk effektivitet uten å kompromisse de estetiske resultatene. Serien består av kun tre nyanser. Den forbedrede Light Diffusion-teknologien gjør at komposittet smelter naturlig sammen med tannstrukturen, noe som reduserer valgmulighetene dine og øker tryggheten for et vellykket resultat.
News Feature Prosedyrevideo: Postsementering og kjerneoppbygging med CLEARFIL™ DC CORE PLUS og CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 30. sep. 2025 CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 er vårt nyeste fremskritt innen universell bonding. Bygget på den pålitelige ytelsen til sin forgjenger, kombinerer dette neste generasjons adhesiv innovativ teknologi som gir en rekke bemerkelsesverdige fordeler. Ved å kombinere tre nøkkelmonomerer i vår proprietære Advanced Rapid Bond Technology, har vi forbedret flyteevne og styrke, økt motstand mot krymping – samtidig som produktet er egnet for oppbevaring ved romtemperatur. Arbeidstiden er ideell. Det er ikke nødvendig å riste flasken, gnikke, vente eller påføre flere lag. Bare påfør, tørk og herd. For kjerneoppbyggingsrestaureringer er det viktig å redusere risikoen for forurensning gjennom en kort og enkel påføringsprosedyre. CLEARFIL™ DC CORE PLUS er utviklet for stressfrie restaureringer takket være forenklet prosedyre og optimal håndtering av pastaen. For alle trinn, fra påføring i rotkanal til kjerneoppbygging, kan du enkelt bruke bare ett miksespiss – takket være 3 minutters arbeidstid. Når disse to produktene kombineres, vil CLEARFIL™ DC CORE PLUS herde selv uten lys, takket være sin spesifikke akselerator for selvherding. For områder der lysherding ikke er mulig, gir den ekstra selvherdende egenskapen fremragende og pålitelige resultater. I denne prosedyrevideoen guider vi deg gjennom trinnene fra postsementering til full kjerneoppbygging. Post cementation and core build-up workflow with CLEARFIL DC CORE PLUS and CLEARFIL Universal Bond Quick 2.
CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal: The Flowable for Every Indication 30. sep. 2025 Shade matching and versatility are redefined with CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal. This innovative flowable composite is available in two flowabilities, offering dentists freedom in handling while ensuring consistent results. With only two universal shades, U and UD, it naturally blends with surrounding tooth structure, eliminating the need for shade guides. Strength is another hallmark. Comparable to many paste-type composites, CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal supports a wide range of restorative applications. The Super Low flowability option is particularly valuable, maintaining its shape even in occlusal areas, making it ideal for building posterior cusps and ridges. The Low variant is a standard flowable composite suitable for a wide range of indications When paired with CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2, procedures become more efficient. This next-generation adhesive, incorporates innovative technology that delivers a host of remarkable benefits. The working time is ideal. There’s no need to shake the bottle, no rubbing, no waiting, and no multiple layers. Just apply, dry, and cure. Together, these solutions form part of Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.’s Universal Excellence portfolio: intelligently designed materials that combine strength, aesthetics, and efficiency in everyday restorative workflows. Watch the direct restoration workflow videos to see CLEARFIL MAJESTY™ ES Flow Universal (super low and low) and CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 work together in unison.
News Feature A new universal adhesive born in Japan 30. sep. 2025 Interview with the team at Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc., who developed and brought to life this new universal adhesive. Streamlining, enhancing and refining adhesive procedures – these are the aims of an 5-person team at Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. in Japan. Recently, the team has developed a next-generation universal adhesive CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 that offers quick and easy application combined with an optimised bonding performance. To learn more about the goals and achievements of the development project, and the benefits of the product, we had a conversation with them. From left to right: Ryo Matsuura and Ryota Murayama (R&D Department), Kazutoshi Ikeda (Production Department), Marina Okada and Yamato Nojiri (Planning & Development Department). Why did you decide to improve CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick? Universal adhesives like CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick are very well received by dental practitioners all over the world mainly due to their versatility and procedural simplicity. In the clinical setting, however, we have identified room for improvement. For example, it can be difficult to establish thin, uniform and strong bonding layers with the currently available products. Water and solvents in universal adhesives often limit the formation of a strong bond layer. A thin bonding layer and the relatively thick oxygen inhibition layer make this type of bonding agent susceptible to degradation by water sorption from dentinal moisture. Highly viscous bonding agents also complicate the ease of application in small cavities and can easily lead to pooling of the adhesive in critical parts of the cavity. Adhesives with a relatively high viscosity may pool or accumulate along margins, and may form a layer that is too thick and may change the morphology of the abutment tooth, a critical factor potentially affecting the fit of an indirect restoration. Generally, bonding agents with a low film thickness and/or are low-filled or unfilled, in turn have a potentially negative effect on the strength of the bonding layer. At Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc., we wanted to address the aforementioned issues and have developed a universal adhesive that is easy to apply and facilitates the establishing of thin, uniform bonding layers exhibiting high strength. What are the indications of CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2? The new universal adhesive is indicated for bonding procedures in the context of creating direct restorations with light-cured composite, sealing of a prepared cavity or abutment tooth as a pretreatment for indirect restorations, treatment of exposed root surfaces and hypersensitive teeth, and also the intraoral repair of fractured restorations. Furthermore, the product is a suitable adhesive in post-cementation and core build-up procedures as well as in adhesive cementing of indirect restorations. When used in the context of the cementing of indirect restorations, the bonding to tooth structure of PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal and of other manufacturers’ self-adhesive resin cements improves, leading to higher bond strengths. What are the corresponding general benefits of CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick AND CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2? The general benefits of both products are that they may be used with any etching procedure, plus the fact that there is no need to wait for the adhesive to penetrate the tooth structure after application. In addition, both products contain the original MDP monomer and the amide monomer, responsible for the formation of a thin and strong surface coating. Both products exhibit low technique sensitivity and are suitable for a wide range of indications. Finally, the adhesive monomers and fluoride offer extra protection to the underlying dentin. Monomer image from the brochure You mentioned the original MDP monomer as one of the essential components of the new adhesive and its predecessor. Is there a difference between this original MDP monomer and other MDP monomers available on the market? Our MDP monomer is the only MDP monomer that is manufactured using the originally developed synthesis and purification process. Research has shown that the way MDP is manufactured has indeed an impact on the performance of the monomer itself1. While impurities and dimers detected in MDP monomers synthesized elsewhere negatively affected the immediate and aged micro-tensile bond strength in the in-vitro study, our MDP monomer shows high purity and more favourable test results. Most universal adhesives need to be rubbed into the tooth structure extensively for 10 to 20 seconds. What did you do to eliminate the waiting time independent of the etching procedure, which led to an ultra-quick application procedure? It is the amide monomer which is mainly responsible for an improved penetration speed into the tooth structure. The hydrophilicity of this monomer is much higher than the hydrophilicity of the HEMA monomer that is typically used. This provides for a better penetration into the moist dentin. The amide monomer’s polymerisation characteristics are better, and, following polymerisation, leads to higher stability in a wet environment due to the formation of a highly cross-linked polymer network. In combination with MDP, an efficient long-term performance will likely be achieved. For optimal outcomes, the adhesive is simply rubbed into the tooth structure as described in the IFU: “Apply BOND with a rubbing motion to the entire cavity wall with the applicator brush. No waiting time is required.” What are the additional benefits that CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 has to offer? First of all, we improved the viscosity and film thickness by optimizing the manufacturing method. The thin adhesive layer prevents pooling in the cavity, around abutments and along margins, creating a uniform bonding layer. Simply put, the new adhesive is applied thinly and spreads evenly. At the same time, the product offers high mechanical strength and excellent resistance to water sorption. Its bond strength is high in all etching modes and the new formulation allows for the product to be stored at room temperature. Please explain the clinical benefit of an improved mechanical strength. The risk of decreasing the film thickness lies in a possible decrease in the strength of the bonding layer which can lead to reduced bond durability. By introducing a new multifunctional urethane methacrylate monomer, we have been able to increase the strength. The effective advantage of the new bonding agent is that it can easily be used in small, difficult-to-access cavities or in cavities with complex morphology. The result is a thin yet strong adhesive layer that also allows for easy placement of any type of restoration. How did you manage to improve the storage conditions? Component stability was not an issue with CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick. However, for a stable viscosity, it needed low-temperature storage. By optimizing the manufacturing method and decreasing the viscosity of CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2, storage at room temperature became possible. Was it difficult to integrate the new components and keep the existing benefits? How did you manage? Integrating new components and removing others always means that the whole formulation needs to be rebalanced properly. This was particularly challenging for the multifunctional urethane methacrylate monomer we wanted to add. It improves the strength and hardness of the universal adhesive, but may affect adhesion depending on the amount of the compound in the formulation. Consequently, we needed to carefully find optimal balance, which took some time and required thorough testing, but in the end, we succeeded. At the moment, the immediate dentin sealing technique is popular in indirect restoration procedures. What makes CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 suited for this technique? Immediate dentin sealing is indeed a popular and useful technique that can result in significantly increased retention, reduced marginal leakage, improved bond strength, and less postoperative sensitivity. Using CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 in this context is beneficial as the procedure is quick, the resulting bonding layer is thin and strong, and the dentin is effectively protected. Why should a dental practitioner switch to CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2? For users of CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick, switching to CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 is worthwhile, as it offers additional advantages and improved performance while retaining the benefits of its predecessor. For users of other universal adhesives, the major benefit lies in the shortened application time: CLEARFIL™ Universal Bond Quick 2 is the only universal adhesive that can achieve a high bond strength and a high-strength bonding layer without any waiting time. In addition, it is suitable for a wide range of indications including core build-up procedures and cementation. Thank you very much for these insights! References1. Yoshihara K, Nagaoka N, Okihara T, Kuroboshi M, Hayakawa S, Maruo Y, Nishigawa G, De Munck J, Yoshida Y, Van Meerbeek B. Functional monomer impurity affects adhesive performance. Dent Mater. 2015 Dec;31(12):1493-501.