Now, however, a block material is available that provides us with some very exciting capabilities in all-zirconia restorations. 3M Lava Plus High Translucency Zirconia, the next generation of Lava Zirconia.
Lava Plus high translucency zirconia material can actually be used for all-zirconia crowns as well as traditional layered restorations. The block's translucency lets colors shine more naturally from inside of the crowns, and the system comes with 18 colors and 8 Lava Plus Effect Shades to give laboratories great options for characterization and the ability to match Vita North America's VITA classical A1 to D4 and bleached shades.
When trying to mix and match esthetics and shading with other crowns and the natural dentition in a patient?s mouth, the translucency and shading options for the Lava Plus block really come in handy.
One especially convenient feature of using an all-zirconia solution like Lava Plus is that it can be cemented however you like. Even better, it can be cemented however is best for the patient, suiting the particular needs for his or her individual case.
For patients who are especially prone to caries, you can opt for a glass ionomer cement; for cases where you would like to bond the crown in, you can do that too. Or you can simply use traditional cement for a very straightforward seating.
3M's Lava zirconia has a track record of more than 10 years of clinical cases, and I personally have placed many units that are still going strong today.