CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 19, 2025. Since their introduction into dentistry in 2001, zirconium oxide materials have remained the strongest material class for tooth-colored indirect restorations, while consistently improving in translucency and overall esthetics. High strength and low minimum wall thickness make them an excellent choice for implant-based restorations, which need to withstand high chewing forces, due to a lack of tactile feedback for the patient. While dedicated blocks for chairside CAD/CAM fabricated implant restorations have been available before, they were not yet able to benefit from the esthetic improvements of zirconium oxide formulations with higher translucency or multilayering. In response to the needs of dental practitioners, Dentsply Sirona is launching CEREC Cercon 4D™ Multidimensional Zirconia Abutment Block, an esthetic zirconia abutment block with more than 1100 MPa strength, 0.5 mm minimum wall thickness and a new, proprietary, 3D layering technology.
Multidimensional Layering for Implant Restorations
Conventional multilayer zirconia blocks are constructed from several horizontal layers. As this does not fully reflect the contouring of dentin and enamel in natural teeth, the new, highly esthetic CEREC Cercon 4D™ CAD/CAM zirconia block is designed with 3D layering that includes a dome-shaped dentin core with a higher pigment content and opacity, and a more translucent enamel contour. This results in more natural esthetics that mask the TiBase and match the VITA®1 shade. The “fourth dimension” comes into play through an efficient milling and sintering workflow with CEREC Primemill® and CEREC SpeedFire® and makes the CEREC Cercon 4D™ abutment block a real “4D” experience. But CEREC Cercon 4D™ Abutment Block does not stop there, as it also is the world's first esthetic zirconia meso block that offers 2-in-1 versatility, as it is indicated for both screw-retained crowns and custom abutments. The high strength of more than 1100 MPa of its 4Y-zirconia also allows for a minimum wall thickness of just 0.5 mm for restorative treatments in areas with limited space.
Efficient Chairside Workflow with CEREC
CEREC Cercon 4D™ Multidimensional Zirconia enables a fast and easy zirconia workflow chairside2—efficiently with CEREC Primemill® and CEREC SpeedFire®. Only 15 minutes of milling time and about 36 minutes of sintering time are required for a screw-retained crown.
The new Calibra® Abutment Resin Cement is designed specifically for extraoral cementation of CEREC Cercon 4D™ Abutment Blocks, providing excellent bond strength. The cement is available in an ultra-opaque shade that blocks undesirable substrate show through and works with TiBases even following cleaning, disinfecting and autoclaving to reduce the risk of cross contamination. Calibra® Abutment Resin Cement is formulated for high strength and easy cleanup for chairside workflow efficiency.
“CEREC Cercon 4D™ Multidimensional Zirconia Abutment Block is the world’s first highly esthetic CAD/CAM zirconia abutment block for implant restorations, constructed to mimic a natural tooth,” explained Arjan de Roy, Group Vice President Essential Dental Solutions at Dentsply Sirona. “It is currently also the only zirconia abutment block that can be used for both hybrid abutments as well as hybrid abutment crowns. This special block enables dentists to achieve excellent chairside results for their implant patients with confidence.”
Further information about the new CEREC Cercon 4D™ Multidimensional Zirconia Abutment Block: CEREC Cercon 4D™ Abutment Block | Dentsply Sirona USA
1 Not a registered trademark of Dentsply Sirona.
2 For CEREC Cercon 4D™ abutment block, the CEREC® Software Version 5.2.11 or higher is required.