Cut through ‘Material Confusion’ with Kuraray’s Sound Science
While much of the focus in dentistry is awarded to technologies like digital scanners and cone beam imaging units, it’s an unfair spotlight—considering the extent to which our world of restorative materials has evolved over the past decade alone.
Evolution is a good thing, especially when it helps yield faster and more esthetic outcomes. But it also creates a heightened level of confusion—for example, does switching your go-to crown material to zirconia open the door to debonding or postop sensitivity?
That’s why partnering with a manufacturer that puts sound science at the root of its products might be the key to cutting through this confusion and ensuring restorative success. Much of the success behind Kuraray’s army of restorative materials—in particular its PANAVIA line of cements—lies within the MDP monomer, which the manufacturer began researching and developing in the 1970s. The secret sauce of this unique phosphate monomer is its ability to provide a strong bond not only to tooth structure, but to metals and zirconia.
Stepping Up to Stronger Adhesion
Recently, Kuraray stepped up its adhesion game to create yet another chemistry, the LCSi monomer, a silane-based carbon chain in a dual-barrel system that forms a chemical bond with glass and ceramic materials. The product at the root of this chemistry, PANAVIA SA Cement Universal, provides clinicians with a simplified cementation procedure and less material confusion—at least that’s the opinion of dental educator and author Dr. Troy Schmedding.
“The plus side for the practitioner is that the confusion of 'How do I condition zirconia,' or 'How do I condition glass ceramics,' is no longer an issue because the paste formulation allows you to achieve a strong bond no matter which substrate is being used—whether it is the MDP monomer allowing strong adhesion to zirconia or the LCSi monomer forming a chemical bond with glass ceramics,” he shared.
Evolving into Enhanced Esthetics
Another PANAVIA product a decade in the making is PANAVIA V5, which uses a catalyst free of amine to encourage superior color stability and improved bond strength to dentin. It is compatible with all indications—from crown-and-bridge and implant abutments to ceramic inlays and laminate veneers—and comes in 5 esthetic shades to meet the needs of each unique patient.
Prior to using PANAVIA V5, Dr. J. Michael Heider was hoping to find a universal cement that would be compatible with newer ceramic materials. “So far, the retention has been good with excellent handling properties,” he shared. “I’m glad to see the best characteristics being improved further!”
Kuraray’s strong reputation in adhesive dentistry should be very reassuring to clinicians, says Dr. Schmedding. “It should offer clinicians a lot of comfort and flexibility to partner with not only a reputable company, but one that continues to research and evolve its key products.”