THE CAPABILITIES OF IPS E.MAX ZIRCAD PRIME/PRIME ESTHETIC

In modern dentistry, selecting restorative materials plays a crucial role not only in aesthetics but also in ensuring durability and high performance. IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime and IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime Esthetic from Ivoclar are two advanced options, offering the perfect combination of natural aesthetics and superior strength. With the unique GT technology, these two product lines provide comprehensive restorative solutions, from single crowns to complex bridges, helping to optimize the workflow in dental laboratories and improve the quality of patient care.

When Do I Use IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime?

IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime serves as a versatile option for various applications, from single copings to full-arch appliances. Its composition, including 3Y zirconia in the body area, provides sufficient masking ability to accommodate darker preps or Ti-bases. Its 1200MPa flexural strength makes it ideal for demanding scenarios like cantilever bridges or up to two connected pontics.If the lab has a mill that only holds one disc at a time, they may want to be able to mill both a full contour restoration and a coping out of the same shade after they go home at night. That way they can be ahead in the morning and not have to change out the disc to mill the other restoration.

When Do I Use IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime Esthetic?

IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime Esthetic caters to the most common restorations produced, particularly full-contour 3-unit bridges and smaller. With enhanced translucency in the body (4Y zirconia), it seamlessly blends with natural dentition, reducing the need for layering ceramic and reducing manual labor.

How Do I Ensure Consistent Shade? 

With IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime and IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime Esthetic, Ivoclar has utilized “Intelligent Disc Design.” Intelligent Disc Design is a simple concept. No matter the thickness of the disc, whether 14mm or 25mm or anywhere in between, the Incisal and Transition zones of the disc are always the same, 3mm Incisal and 4mm Transition. That means no matter the disc size (or material) you always nest the same. For the most consistent match to the shade guide it is recommended to nest anterior restorations 1.5-2mm and posterior restorations 2-2.5mm from the top of the disc

The second thing that is important to get consistent shade and translucency is to properly maintain your sintering furnace. This means regular calibration to ensure you are hitting the proper temperatures. However, because furnaces from various manufacturers are a little different, you may also have to do test runs to determine the high temp you need for consistency. If your restorations are coming out too opaque and dark, your temperature is too low.  Conversely, if the body is too translucent and too light, your temperature is too high (Fig. C). The one time that this is not true, is when you look at the incisal area (5Y) of the restoration.  When the 5Y zirconia is fired too high it will make the material more opaque (due to increased defects between the crystal boundaries). When adjusting your temperatures, it is recommended to adjust 10C (18F) at a time until the desired result is achieved.

What Impact Does Finishing Have on Material Performance? 

As with all materials that include different levels of zirconia strength (3Y-4Y-5Y) it is important when doing multi-unit restorations that most of the connector is in the strongest area of the disc, especially the bottom third. That way the area that receives the highest level of tensile stress during chewing is in the strongest possible part of the material (Fig. D).

But we can also increase that strength with proper finishing and polishing of the material. If you properly smooth and polish the underside of the connector areas of your bridges and large restorations, you will remove small defects in the surface of the material and can almost double the Flexural strength of the material in the area that receives the highest tensile stress.

In essence, understanding the capabilities of IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime and IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime Esthetic empowers dental labs to produce robust, esthetically pleasing, and financially rewarding restorations. These innovations not only elevate patient care but also contribute to the enduring mission of Making People Smile.

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