Chairside CAD/CAM dentistry has promised convenience since its inception, including the advent of the single-visit crown; however, with convenience can come compromise. While software and equipment technology have advanced continuously, materials have struggled to keep pace. A strong material might appear lifeless in the mouth, while a more esthetic material may crack or fracture. Recognizing the need for a well-balanced alternative that maximizes new high-speed sintering technology, 3M is introducing 3M Chairside Zirconia, a new CAD/CAM zirconia block optimized for the fast-sintering CEREC SpeedFire Furnace.i The new block offers an optimal blend of high strength and esthetics to go along with a fast sintering time of approximately 20 minutesii,iii for a thin-walled crown.
“The esthetics and better sintering time of 3M Chairside Zirconia have made this my go-to zirconia material,” said Daniel Butterman, DDS. “It polishes very easily and has a good level of translucency. I see no need to glaze this material.”
For easy shade matching, the material is available in eight different shades and two block sizes designed for crowns and three-unit bridgesiv to match the Vita classical shades. Additionally, due to its low minimum wall thickness of 0.8 mm, dentists are able to carry out less invasive preparations and preserve more tooth structure.
“The overall promise of chairside dentistry has always been efficiency in a single-visit appointment,” said Karen Burquest, global business leader, 3M Oral Care. “Our new zirconia is designed for high-speed sintering to deliver even more efficiency without compromises in strength or esthetics.”
3M Chairside Zirconia offers a high flexural strength option of more than 800 MPa, and it has a fracture toughness that meets stringent ISO standards. This gives it ideal strength for single-unit crowns and three-unit bridges.
The cementation process is simplified, as well, with the option to use either 3M RelyX Luting Plus resin-modified glass ionomer cement or 3M RelyX Unicem 2 self-adhesive resin cement. These easy-to-use, reliable cement options offer trusted solutions for your chairside zirconia needs.
3M Chairside Zirconia will be featured and available for preordering at the Chicago Midwinter meeting February 21–24, 2019. 3M Chairside Zirconia will officially launch at IDS in March. Product will be available for sale in the US on May 1, 2019.
For more information, visit 3m.com/chairsidezirconia.
Notes
i. 3M provides sintering parameters for ovens capable of sintering zirconia in less than two hours. Review the 3M Chairside Zirconia Instructions for Use for sintering details.
ii. CEREC SpeedFire furnace, restorations with particular designs (parameter integrated in CEREC software; wall thickness 1.2 mm or less).
iii. 19.6 minutes for small, thin-walled crowns; 22.4 minutes for all other crowns.
iv. With one pontic supported on each side by a crown.
