CHICAGO - Sirona has launched its Cerec Zirconia, an all-ceramic substitute for the traditional porcelain fused to metal (PFM), and the Cerec SpeedFire furnace at this week's 2016 Midwinter Meeting.
The products allow dentists to deliver full-contour crowns and small bridges made of full-strength zirconium oxide in a single visit, according to the company. Previously, the steps required to process zirconia limited its application to laboratories.
Cerec Zirconia is a preshaded translucent zirconium oxide available in 10 Vita shades. The material is milled in an enlarged form, then densely sintered to its final size in the new sintering Cerec SpeedFire furnace. The oversized milling facilitates a level of milling precision leading to good-fitting restorations. The process takes 10 to 15 minutes for crowns and less than 30 minutes for bridges. The subsequent glaze firing gives a high-gloss finish to restorations. Other benefits include minimal tooth reduction, zirconia is less expensive than alternative materials, and it causes less postoperative sensitivity due traditional cementing techniques, according to Sirona.
The company also offers a new wet/dry mill option for its milling units. Dry milling reduces the overall processing time for zirconia and enables the chairside procedure. Cerec software 4.4.1 guides the dentist through the process and sends the sintering and glazing information to the furnace. No programming of the furnace is required. Patients avoid messy impression material, receive less anesthetic, and it eliminates the need for temporary crowns, according to the company.
