For Dr. Kristine Aadland, the story of modern restorative materials is also the story of her own practice—and a company she's trusted from day one
When Dr. Kristine Aadland opened her practice 2 decades ago, IPS e.max was just arriving on the market. "It was a game changer for us because it doubled the strength of previous materials," she said. "Not only was it beautiful, but it was also so strong. If you were having problems with fractures or hesitant to put porcelain on molars, this material was the answer."
Since then, the lithium disilicate glass-ceramic block has set the standard for restorations that combine impressive esthetics, high fracture resistance, and long-lasting reliability. But the material landscape kept evolving.
Tackling Zirconia's Growing Pains
When zirconia entered the equation, many labs gravitated toward it for its strength and affordability, Dr. Aadland said, but it lacked the beauty of IPS e.max CAD.
"For me, when Ivoclar launched IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime, one of the best benefits was that it was not only strong but also closely matched the IPS e.max CAD shades," she said. "The upside of zirconia is that it mills out about 26% bigger and then shrinks in the oven, so it allows for a little bit more discretion in preps where you don't have to be as precise."
IPS e.max ZirCAD Prime offers a smooth progression of shade and translucency—from dentin to the translucent incisal area—producing natural, esthetic restorations.
Equally important as esthetics is speed, with superfast milling in 4 to 5 minutes and sintering taking just 11 minutes.
"It's about patient chair time and predictability," Dr. Aadland continued, "picking up a block and knowing it's actually going to show up as the shade that's promised, or that it's going to mill and sinter quickly. Any minutes we can capture back when doing same-day dentistry really do make an impact on the practice. Patients feel their time is valued, and doctors get to spend more time doing hygiene checks, catching up with the team, or just having a cup of coffee as a reset, because we all know the job isn't always easy."
More Than a Material
For Dr. Aadland, the material being milled is only half of it. "What I love about Ivoclar is that they've had such a strong history of standing behind amazing products, and you know that if it's on the shelf, it's going to work well," she said. "And if for some reason something does happen, they will take care of you and then find out why."
That track record matters more than ever as CAD/CAM rises in popularity and new materials flood the market. "They don't have that history and longevity that Ivoclar does," she added, "and I think there's a big trust factor in that."
