Solid zirconia restoration

BruxZir Solid Zirconia crowns and bridges are made from the highest quality zirconia powder from Japan.Tthe powder is chemically and physically reprocessed to further reduce the zirconia particle sizes. BruxZir milling blanks are then created through a unique patent-pending process. Unlike conventional high-pressure milling blank manufacture, this processing gives BruxZir zirconia improved light transmission, which provides a lower, more natural shade value.

Figures 1 and 2: In the retracted view, you can see the full extent of the gingival tissues. As I placed the topical on tooth #9 with a cotton swab, it started to bleed! You can see that the midline on the existing crown is off, as are the axial inclinations of the two crowns. The unhealthy gingival tissue was removed with a diode laser and BioTemps were placed. I’ve found the smooth glazed surface of BioTemps helps gingiva heal faster in these types of cases.

Figures 3 and 4: As you view the crowns in the lateral smile view, you will notice the flat facial profiles of these crowns. This is much more difficult to achieve with bi-layered restorations such as porcelain fused to metal or porcelain fused to zirconia. Since a BruxZir zirconia restoration is monolithic (one layer), it is much easier to achieve desirable contours.

Designed and milled using CAD/CAM technology, BruxZir restorations are sintered for 6.5 hours at 1,530 degrees Celcius. The final BruxZir restoration emerges virtually bulletproof and is glazed to a smooth surface. You can conservatively prepare as thin as 0.5 mm with feather edge margins, much like you would cast gold.

Note: This article was published in Dental Tribune U.S. Edition, Vol. 6 No. 17, November 2011.

(Source: BruxZir/Glidewell Laboratories)