Vita has developed a new category of CAD/CAM material, Vita Enamic, the first hybrid dental ceramic with a dual-network structure that combines the best properties of ceramic and composite materials.
The dominant ceramic network structure and the reinforcing polymer network structure of Vita Enamic are fully merged with one another, similar to the way that steel reinforces concrete, according to the company. Materials science testing shows that Vita Enamic offers exceptionally high fracture load capacity, while also ensuring high levels of elasticity and integrated crack prevention, Vita noted.
Vita Enamic features less brittleness than a pure dental ceramic and is extremely resistant to the shear and compressive forces of the jaw and natural teeth, allowing the material to be used for a variety of applications.
Enamic CAD/CAM blocks, which are classed as a ceramic for insurance purposes, are suitable for fabricating inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns for anterior and posterior applications, and crowns over implants, as well as minimally invasive restorations such as no-prep veneers and restorations in areas where space is limited.
In the first product phase, Vita Enamic will be available in block size EM-14 (12 x 14 x 18 mm), as well as in 3D-Master shades 0M1, 1M1, 1M2, 2M2, and 3M2 in two degrees of translucency. The hybrid ceramic can be processed using the Sirona Cerec and inLab systems, using software versions higher than 4.0.
Vita Enamic will be available beginning February 2013.
