- A commemoration of the company’s 10th anniversary –

We asked Mr. Sadaaki Matsuyama, who was then the president of Kuraray Medical, and Ms. Kiyoko Ban, who was then the company advisor of Noritake Dental Supply, about episodes that occurred during the business integration between their two companies.

What were your impressions of each other at that time?

Ms. Ban: I had known Mr. Matsuyama for about 10 years before the integration. When I first met him, I got the idea he was "scary," but as we talked I discovered we had a nice rapport. I finally came to the firm conclusion that he is a very pleasant person!

Mr. Matsuyama: We made some small talk when we met at exhibitions, and because we used the same distributors in Japan, we had many opportunities to talk to each other at New Year's parties and other distributors’ gatherings. She said that I looked "scary", but at first I felt that Ms. Ban looked quite tough (laughs). Later, I came to have the impression that she was someone with whom I could talk frankly.

What were your impressions of each other's companies before the integration?

Ms. Ban: Kuraray had entered the dental industry before Noritake did and they were well known in the field of dental adhesives. I respected them. We had something in common, in that we were both companies that had not specialized in dentistry, but were now doing business in this new-to-us field.

Mr. Matsuyama: Noritake occupies a high share in Japanese dental ceramics market and Kuraray occupies a high share in Japanese dental adhesives market, so neither company had a big lineup of dental products. Neither of us was a great big company doing extensive business in the dental industry. Still, it seemed to me that we both had outstanding, worldwide-recognized technological capabilities.

How did the two companies turn up with the idea of integration?

Ms. Ban: Actually, even before we began to consider the possibility of integrating, the topic of integration came up several times during casual chats among Kuraray staff. Later, when Mr. Matsuyama, who had been working in China, returned to Japan, I began to think that we would be able to draw up a more concrete global strategy if we worked together. Finally, when Mr. Matsuyama was appointed president of Kuraray Medical, I remember that a specific discussion of integration came up between the two companies.

Mr. Matsuyama: At that time, just as Ms. Ban said, Kuraray Medical was also seriously considering a global strategy. We were thinking, "We ought to get serious about expanding our business in the global market." From a global perspective, it was clear we needed to show our face on the world market. I also had the feeling that, to succeed at that, we had to add "something" to the company as it was, in order to achieve this global expansion. It was while I was still mulling this over that the topic of business integration came up, and I saw right away that we had no choice but to move forward with this. If we intended to expand our business further and advance more aggressively into overseas markets, I thought that the integration of Noritake Dental Supply, the number one company in "inorganic" materials and Kuraray Medical, the first in "organic" materials would have a global impact and that it would be very beneficial to both companies.

Ms. Ban: Before the integration, dental materials divisions of Kuraray and Noritake had worked together in the development of dental restoration system called CLAPEARL*. Kuraray made the cement and Noritake made the porcelains suitable for use with the cement. Kuraray and Noritake have had a pretty darned good relationship since that time.

*Limited to Japan, dental restoration system consisting of several components used for porcelain laminate veneer restorative treatments. Only its dual-cure cement was exported to some areas under the name of CLEARFIL™ DC Cement.

I think the two companies integrated with each other to enhance their respective strengths further and overcome their weaknesses. What did you expect specifically?

Mr. Matsuyama: What I expected from this integration was that our people, who had been engaged only with adhesive materials, would be able to get into the world of porcelain materials. Also, I thought they would be able to widen their perspective on their own dental materials business, including how they conducted that business, by being on the inside of another company in a related field. I thought this would hold true of the employees at both companies.

Ms. Ban: That's right. We used to only look at ceramics-related areas, but after the integration, we began to pay attention to new cement products, and so on. During the early days after integration, at the IDS (International Dental Show: one of the world's largest exhibitions in the dental industry), our ceramics products and our adhesive products were displayed separately in our booth. I remember even back then I thought this was bad. Now, at exhibitions, our products are displayed in one booth, with ceramics and cement products arranged together, so visitors can take a look at both types of products at the same time. I think things have improved a lot compared with how they were at the beginning.

At the time, there was a lot of talk about "synergistic effects" arising from the integration. What kinds of synergistic effects did you first see and experience? Was it what you expected?

Ms. Ban: At the first IDS held after the birth of Kuraray Noritake Dental, I really felt the synergy arising from the integration. When I got to our booth, without even fully realizing what I was saying, I exclaimed: "This splendid booth shows what we can achieve by getting together!" I felt as if a great new company had been born. Besides, another thing that I feel great about this integration is the issue of intellectual properties. We were able to learn a lot about intellectual property rights after integrating with Kuraray Medical, and I am very thankful for that.

Mr. Matsuyama: I think the first one of the synergistic effects we obtained from the integration was that we were able to market our products from a wider perspective. For example, now that we sell CAD/CAM materials or ceramic materials, we are able to suggest suitable cements for them, as well. Previously, we could only say, "This is what we do with ceramics, and (separately) this is what we do with cements." But now, we can suggest products to customers that make up a total dental restoration system. This makes it easier for customers to get the whole picture of what we have available for them to buy. I thought that this was where the synergies from the integration first showed up.

Ms. Ban: People who know Kuraray Medical or Noritake Dental Supply well, such as those who are in the dental industry, including dentists, all said it was a wonderful integration. They all congratulated us on our integration. Kuraray Medical had long been recognized as a reliable dental adhesives manufacturer, while Noritake Dental Supply also had been accepted by many people in the dental industry as an excellent manufacturer of dental ceramic materials. I think that because both companies had good images, their integration was perceived even more favorably.

REALITY NOW rates brand-new PAVANIA™ Veneer LC

Just launched and already tested: REALITY RATINGS & REVIEWS has published a FirstLook evaluation of the brand-new PANAVIA™ Veneer LC, a purely light-cured resin cement for the permanent cementation of veneers and thin inlays and onlays. Based on laboratory testing, they conclude that “PANAVIA Veneer LC appears to be a worthy addition to the PANAVIA dynasty of cements.” The PANAVIA™ Veneer LC kit available in Europe consists of PANAVIA™ Veneer LC Paste, PANAVIA™ V5 Tooth Primer and CLEARFIL™ CERAMIC PRIMER PLUS.

During testing, the product features that are verifiable in a laboratory setting delivered no surprise: PANAVIA™ Veneer LC Paste is very well polishable with the polishing systems used, and the working time turned out to be exactly as long as specified by Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. According to the evaluators, this working time is more than sufficient. While other possibly beneficial features – wear resistance and colour stability – were not put to a test, the evaluators were enthusiastic about the product’s handling properties. Their opinion: “The material itself has very nice handling properties, allowing easy seating of veneers with virtually no rebound. It is also not runny (flow is 5), but at the same time, it is not overly thick that you risk fracturing an ultrathin veneer. In addition, its consistency facilitates loading a veneer and cleaning the excess with minimal to no stickiness.”

Equipped with these favourable features, PANAVIA Veneer LC clearly has the potential to make your life easier during veneer cementation. Try-in pastes are available, the shade offering (four shades) is more than adequate and its close relatedness with PANAVIA™ V5 (which share technologies and system components) lets you use the product with confidence right from the start.

To view the full evaluation visit www.realityratings.com

In the early 1990s, Kuraray introduced CLEARFIL™ LINER BOND 2, the first self-etching adhesive, to the world. Among the products that this system has led to is the award-winning CLEARFIL™ SE Protect, which was introduced in 2004 and remains highly valued by dental professionals across the world. By combining Kuraray Noritake Dental’s famed original MDP monomer with the antibacterial 12-methacryloyloxydodecylpyridinium bromide (MDPB) monomer, this self-etching adhesive is able to kill bacteria on contact. How is this possible? Let’s find out.

Pyridinium holds the key

The crucial element that provides CLEARFIL™ SE Protect with its antibacterial cavity cleansing ability is contained in the MDPB monomer. The pyridinium group in this monomer is positively charged, whereas the cell structures of bacteria are, generally speaking, negatively charged. This means that they are automatically attracted to the positively charged contact points of the MDPB monomer, causing these bacteria cell membranes to lose their electrical balance and be destroyed. This process—bacteriolysis—kills the bacteria.

The bactericidal mechanism of MDPB is presumed to be similar to that of the well-known antibacterial agent cetylpyridinium chloride, which is in many toothpastes and mouthwashes.

Certified biocompatibility

The MDPB monomer is immobilised during the polymerisation of the bonding and remains latently active without affecting the dental patient’s own cells. Unlike the situation when other cavity hygiene products are used, this process—patented by Kuraray Noritake Dental—does not have a negative impact on the bond strength and even ensures that there are no long-term cytotoxic effects on the patient’s own body cells such as odontoblasts. These results have been confirmed by the official biological evaluation for medical devices known as the ISO 10993 series.

Award-winning results with CLEARFIL™ SE Protect

With its antibacterial effect, high bond strength to enamel and dentine and long-term fluoride release, CLEARFIL™ SE Protect is reliable, versatile and future-proofed. This tried-and-tested two-step self-etching bonding system is fast and easy to use for direct restorations. For bonding indirect restorations and core build-ups, simply mix it with Kuraray Noritake Dental’s CLEARFIL™ DC Activator according to the instructions for use.

Thanks to its combination of MDP and MDPB monomers, CLEARFIL™ SE Protect leads to predictable, durable restorations—and it has received plenty of accolades from dental experts as a result. In 2022, this adhesive again received a Top Product Award in the Direct Restoratives, Bonding Agent: Self-Etch category from DENTAL ADVISOR. This was the fourth year in a row that it earned such recognition, and in addition, the 13 DENTAL ADVISOR consultants and editors gave CLEARFIL™ SE Protect a stunning 98% overall clinical rating.

Innovativ teknologi bakom PANAVIA Veneer LC

I dessa Highlights diskuterar vi teknologier och hur de bidrar till de många fördelarna med nya PANAVIA Veneer LC

Testimonial article by Dr. Troy Schmedding, USA

From PANAVIA™ EX to PANAVIA™ V5, Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.‘s flagship product line of cements continues to evolve to offer reliable adhesion, enhanced ease of use, and superior esthetics.

Dentistry has certainly evolved in the years since Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. developed the phosphate monomer MDP. But over the past 4 decades, it has rooted itself in restorative dentistry as the tried-and-true ingredient that clinicians rely on for strong adhesion to tooth structure as well as metals and zirconia. MDP is a key ingredient in the manufacturer’s flagship PANAVIA™ line of cements, which continues to evolve in line with a growing variety of indirect restorative materials from which to choose.

One example of this evolution is PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal, one of the first true universal self-adhesive resin cements to hit the market. In addition to the original MDP monomer, it incorporates the LCSi monomer, a silane-based carbon chain in a dual-barrel system that forms a chemical bond with glass and ceramic materials.

“PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal allows you to achieve a strong bond no matter which substrate is being used.”

- Troy Schmedding, DDS –

A STRONG BOND THAT’S SIMPLE TO CREATE

But all chemistry aside, what’s in it for the clinician? As dental educator and author Dr. Troy Schmedding points out, the key benefit of PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal is eliminating the confusion over how to treat different substrates. This is because the material adheres to virtually every material without the need for a separate primer. “The plus side for the practitioner is that the confusion of ‚how do I condition zirconia‘ or ‚how do I condition glass ceramics‘ is no longer an issue because the paste formulation allows you to achieve a strong bond no matter which substrate is being used - whether it is the MDP monomer allowing strong adhesion to zirconia or the LCSi monomer forming a chemical bond with glass ceramics,” he shared.

DIALING UP THE AESTHETICS

Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. considers PANAVIA™ V5 the most esthetic cement it has ever created. Available in 5 shades - White, Brown, Universal, Clear, and Opaque – it took researchers over 10 years to develop and features an anime-free catalyst that allows for superior colour stability and improved bond strength to dentin. And like its predecessors, PANAVIA™ V5 offers a simple cementation procedure that is compatible with all indications, from crown-and-bridge and implant abutments to ceramic inlays and laminate veneers.

“Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. has an incredibly strong reputation in adhesive dentistry, so it should offer clinicians a lot of comfort and flexibility to partner with not only a reputable company, but one that continues to research and evolve their key products,” concluded Dr. Schmedding.

Dentist:

DR. TROY SCHMEDDING, DDS
USA

Article from Dental product shopper, vol. 14 No. 5

One of the key features when talking about cements is the ease of removal of excess cement. Our newest cement - PANAVIA™ Veneer LC - offers the ideal paste consistency, a low film thickness and long working time.

But how about excess removal? Do you wonder how do we compare to other similar products?

Check out this video demonstrating an excess removal comparison between PANAVIA Veneer LC and other brands.

PRESENTATION OF A STUDY WITH ILLUSTRATIVE CASES

by Dr. Yohei Sato, DMD, PhD and Dr. Keisuke Ihara, CDT.

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the application and advancement of digital technology in dentistry has made it possible to accomplish the fabrication of highly accurate prosthetic zirconia appliances that were difficult to mill using the previously available technology. In addition, thanks to advances in adhesive dentistry and the advent of cements that bond strongly to a diverse range of materials, cements have come into wide clinical use that can cope with the many types of materials used for the fabrication of prosthetic appliances.

At our hospital, we select the treatment method most suitable for each case by appropriately specifying various types of prosthetic appliance according to the status of each case. For example, we may specify zirconia prosthetic restorations fabricated by the CAD/CAM system, or silica-based ceramic prostheses, or those made of lithium disilicate glass, as the case dictates.

PANAVIA™ V5 is a resin cement system that bonds strongly to various types of prosthetic appliance, as well as to tooth structure. PANAVIA™ Veneer LC, a new resin cement system developed by Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc., has suitable characteristics for bonding laminate veneers, using two types of primer that can be used in common with PANAVIA™ V5. Here are some clinical examples of its advantages as a resin cement system used for laminate veneers restorations.

NYA FILLER
PANAVIA™ Veneer LC:s utmärkta hantering beror mycket på de nyutvecklade sfäriska fillerna av kiseldioxid och filler i nanokluster (fillerhalt: 66 % vikt, 47 % volym). Tack vare cementets tixotropa egenskaper kommer inte fasaderna att glida eller lossna. PANAVIA™ Veneer LC ger en kontrollerad applicering, det stannar där det applicerats men flyter väl vid placering av fasaden/fasaderna.
Tack vare dess konsistens och låga filmtjocklek (≈ 8 μm), ger PANAVIA™ Veneer LC ett tunt, jämnt distribuerat cementskikt. Detta bidrar till enkel placering utan interferenser. Dessutom gör användningen av endast små, sfäriska filler (Partikelstorlek: 0,05 μm – 8 μm) högestetiska och släta marginaler möjliga och främjar enkel polerbarhet och glansens hållbarhet.

FILLER AV KISELDIOXID
Nyutvecklade sfäriska filler av kiseldioxid i cementet gör att det stannar där det applicerats, men flyter väl under placering av fasaden. Ger en enkel placering utan att fasaden glider eller lossnar. Vid applicering på fasadens inre yta, klibbar inte resincementet till applikationsspetsen, en egenskap som det fått tack vare de sfäriska nanoklustren med fillers.

Dessa nya fillertyper ger en
utomordentlig nivå av släthet
och glansretention såväl som
enkel hantering.

VISKOSITET & TIXOTROPI
Viskositeten hos ett cement är viktig och måste vara tillräckligt låg för att undvika att protetiken frakturerar vid placeringen. Samtidigt får den inte vara så flytande att den rinner av under appliceringen och placeringen av restaurationen. Eftersom PANAVIA™ Veneer LC innehåller en optimerad mix av filler och resin, ändras dess viskositet när det påverkas av tryck. Detta fenomen är känt som tixotropi.
Cementet blir mer flytande under tryck vid placering och positionering av fasaden. När trycket minskar, ökar viskositeten igen. Tack vare den tixotropa egenskapen hos PANAVIA™ Veneer LC, är cementet lätt att dispensera och endast ett lätt tryck behövs för att positionera protetiken och överskottet är enkelt att avlägsna. I korthet: maximal kontroll.

Material med samma viskositet har inte nödvändigtvis samma tixotropi. Temperatur och tryck påverkar viskositeten. Graden av och nivån på hur mycket ett material återfår sin ursprungliga viskositet när trycket minskas beror på materialets tixotropi.

INNOVATIV HÄRDNINGSTEKNOLOGI
PANAVIA™ Veneer LC är ett ljushärdande cement som kombinerar flera teknologier för att ge dig högsta möjliga
bindningsstyrka.

FÖRSEGLING AV GRÄNSSNITTET
En modifierad teknologi för kontakthärdning används för att ge en längre arbetstid men bibehålla den höga bindningsstyrka som PANAVIA™ är välkänt för. PANAVIA™ Veneer LC, i kombination med PANAVIA™ V5 Tooth Primer, bidrar med ett viktigt kemiskt element till ett ljushärdande cement. När PANAVIA™ Veneer LC pastan kommer i kontakt med självetsande primer PANAVIA™ V5 Tooth Primer, förseglar den för tandstruktur (dentin och emalj) det tand-adhesiva gränssnittet. med den. Denna ”milda” kontakthärdning initierar polymeriseringen endast vid det adhesiva gränssnittet och åstadkommer en stark omedelbar bindning till emalj och dentin, men påverkar inte stelningen av cementet och därför inte heller arbetstiden.

ARBETSTID
Vid procedurer med cementering, är det flera externa faktorer som påverkar arbetstiden. Teknologin bakom PANAVIA™ Veneer LC tar hänsyn till dessa faktorer. Teknologin för kontakthärdning ger en omedelbar försegling av gränssnittet mot tanden. Grunden för höga bindningsstyrkor. Ljushärdningsteknologin ger dig en arbetstid på 200 sekunder under omgivande ljus* innan PVLC börjar förlora sin ideala plasticitet för formning. Under dessa 200 sekunder kan du bekvämt placera och positionera (ett flertal) fasader. Den slutliga polymeriseringen sker vid belysning med härdljuslampan och låter cementet härda fullständigt.

*Omgivande ljus: cirka 8 000 lux

Minimally invasive procedures using highly aesthetic restorations is what patients expect when they seek restorative treatment. With the various types of restorations available today, it is possible to meet these expectations – provided that the right materials are used.

For the placement of veneers, a resin cement must be selected that supports long-lasting aesthetics, is easily applied, offers a working time sufficient for simultaneous cementation of multiple restorations and provides excellent bond strength. The new “PANAVIA™ Veneer LC” is precisely what you need.

What is the workflow you ask? Check out the video to see the full workflow using PANAVIA V5 Primer and CLEARFIL Ceramic Primer Plus.

Prosthodontic treatment concepts have evolved over the past decades. While some time ago, porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns and bridges were placed wherever a defect was too large for a direct restoration, the current trend is toward less invasive therapies with highly aesthetic, tooth-coloured materials.

These modern treatment concepts can lead to reliable outcomes when a high-performance resin cement system is used that establishes a durably strong bond to tooth structure on one side and the restoration on the other. The reason is that less invasive often means that restorations have minimal or no retentive elements and extremely thin walls, and a strong chemical bond is a mechanism that holds them in place over time. Depending on the type of restoration and area in the mouth, aesthetic properties of the cementation system are also extremely important, as the typically highly translucent, thin restorations tend to reveal the appearance of the structures underneath to a certain extent.

Universal cements

In the context of striving toward the streamlining of clinical procedures in restorative dentistry, several manufacturers have developed resins cements that work with fewer components and are suitable for a large number of indications. PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal is a popular example. The self-adhesive, dual-cure resin cement is the only product of its category that works as a standalone solution even on glass ceramics (without the need for a separate primer).

The need for specialists

There are specific clinical situations, however, that require more working time than a dual-cure resin cement can offer. This is the case whenever multiple non-retentive restorations are to be placed simultaneously, a technique that is recommended for veneers. The greatest benefits of placing the thin and highly aesthetic restorations at once lie in the proper positioning of the restorations and in the minimized risk of contamination: When the veneers are placed one after the other, a slightly malpositioned and already fixed veneer might hinder proper positioning of the adjacent restorations and haemorrhage occurring in the context of excess cement removal or finishing of the margin might contaminate the working field. When all veneers are placed simultaneously, repositioning is possible, while excess removal and polishing are accomplished in a moment when blood and debris will no longer endanger the integrity of the restorations, which increases the security during the whole procedure. This task is best fulfilled by a light-curing veneer specialist.

Handling of a thin ceramic veneer.

Required properties of veneers cements

Undoubtedly, the key feature of a specialist resin cement system is a long working time sufficient for simultaneous cementation of multiple restorations. In addition, its consistency and handling properties are also important as they can help users overcome the challenge of accurate positioning and reduce the time and effort involved in veneer placement. And finally, the system needs to provide excellent bond strength over time and support long-lasting aesthetics, properties valuable for every kind of resin cement, but the latter being particularly important for thin restorations in the aesthetic zone. Luckily, PANAVIA™ Veneer LC offers all those features.

The system consists of PANAVIA™ V5 Tooth Primer that establishes a strong bond to enamel and dentin, PANAVIA™ Veneer LC Paste as the cement and the CLEARFIL™ CERAMIC PRIMER PLUS that has been part of PANAVIA™ V5 cementation system. The latter is responsible for a high bond strength to all types of restorative materials.

Mastering the working time challenge

The light-curing cement paste offers a long working time of 200 seconds* due to its excellent stability under ambient light. As a consequence, dental practitioners may place multiple veneers simultaneously without having to race against setting. Polymerization may be started whenever the user is ready for it. The one-component self-etching tooth primer (PANAVIA™ V5 Tooth Primer) does not contain any photo initiators and does not cure alone. When applied, it etches and penetrates into the tooth surface for 20 seconds and is ready to bond strongly to PANAVIA™ Veneer LC Paste. The integrated touch-cure technology is the key feature safeguarding a high bond strength to tooth structure without shortening the working time.

*Working time under ambient light on PANAVIA™ V5 Tooth Primer (8000 Lux): 200 seconds

Providing for precise placement

In order to streamline the clinical seating procedure from cement application to polishing, PANAVIA™ Veneer LC has been equipped with a set of well-balanced handling properties. Newly developed spherical silica fillers in the cement provide that it stays put where applied, but flows well when the veneer is seated on the tooth – for easy placement without drifting or sagging. During application across the intaglio surface, the resin cement does not stick to the application tip, a property achieved by the addition of nanocluster filler technology. The special design of the syringe’s application tip optimizes control over the amount of cement applied. Ans last but not least, excess cement may be easily removed in one piece using an explorer after a one-second tack-cure, while polishing of the margins is quickly accomplished.

Hiding the margins

Being extremely thin, highly translucent and mainly used to restore teeth in the exposed anterior region of the maxilla, veneers have to be placed with a cement that is and remains undetectable underneath the restoration and at its margins. PANAVIA™ Veneer LC is available in four highly aesthetic shades with matching try-in pastes, so that a precise shade match with the restoration can be achieved and verified in the patient’s mouth. Additional features contributing to undetectable margins are the resin cement’s flowability and low film thickness: They enable users to easily produce an evenly distributed, thin cement layer for aesthetic outcomes. For those afraid that coffee, tea, acidic drinks or constant tooth brushing might reveal the margins over time, there is good news as well: PANAVIA™ Veneer LC offers a high polish retention and colour stability over time. The well-balanced formulation and the touch-cure technology are responsible for this resistance to discolouration.

Trusted expertise

All these beneficial features make PANAVIA™ Veneer LC worth testing. Additional arguments are the fact that its primers are tried and tested components of the highly popular PANAVIA™ V5 system and that Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. is a proven expert on adhesive products. It developed the original MDP Monomer in 1981 and introduced the first adhesive resin cement containing this monomer in 1983. Since then, the company has improved existing formulations and developed existing technologies that ultimately resulted in the current line-up of cementation solutions for every need and indication.

Excellent gloss retention is one of the properties providing for undetectable margins over time.