Product Evaluation

Prosthodontist Dr. Robert Mokbel knows that “traditional cementation of short zirconia crowns can be challenging,” which is why he’s more than willing to adopt products and techniques that improve the chances of long-term bonding success. While it may seem counterproductive to add additional steps to an already complex procedure, Dr. Mokbel was pleasantly surprised that “the simple and quick techniques” of BISCO’s ZirClean and Z-Prime Plus “add only 30 to 60 seconds to my cementation technique to ensure that bonding doesn’t fail.”

ZirClean is a nonabrasive cleaning gel designed to effectively remove phosphate contamination from zirconia, ceramic, and metal restoration surfaces after try-in. Z-Prime Plus is a single-component priming agent designed to enhance adhesion between indirect restorative materials and composite resin cements. Its unique combination of 2 active monomers produces a synergistic effect that significantly improves bond strengths to zirconia, alumina, and metal substrates.

“I found Z-Prime Plus to be very effective for bonding all crowns,” shared Dr. Mokbel. “With the adjunct of ZirClean, it’s one of the best materials to effectively achieve long-term bonding, as it removes salivary contaminants that may cause failures.” Using these 2 products, “I am more confident in my bonding technique, and they make it easier to practice and deliver better services to our patients," he added.

Ease of Use and Time Savings

“ZirClean’s syringe delivery and gel consistency facilitate precise placement of only the amount needed to cover the intaglio surface evenly before rinsing off easily, and Z-Prime Plus’ light-blocking plastic bottle with dropper makes dispensing the right amount easier than with a glass bottle,” shared Dr. Bilyana Tesic. Dr. Manny Chopra liked the “simple instructions, reliable dispensing, clean rinsing, and compatibility with our cement with no time added to our crown seating appointments.”

“ZirClean is very easy to dispense and place directly into the crown with a bent needle tip, and the deep blue color made placement and rinsing easy to see,” said Dr. Donald Jetter. He called it “easy to rinse completely from the crown,” while Dr. Joseph DeLapa suggested that it could be easier to rinse off. Dr. Melissa Zettler recommended a smaller hole for the Z-Prime Plus dispenser to reduce waste.

Dr. Ross Isbell was impressed by the “easy-to-handle materials with advanced chemistry,” and Dr. Marisol King called them “a quick and simple addition that didn’t add much time to my cementation protocol.” Dr. Kenneth Chae appreciated the time saved by avoiding the need for recementation, and Dr. David Stall said the products made crown seating fast and easy. “The step-by-step methodic protocol made delivery easy, and everything is streamlined, effi cient, and effective,” shared Dr. Pearl Zadeh.

Decontamination and Bond Strength

“ZirClean worked fl awlessly to help clean ceramic crowns,” said Dr. Chopra, who anticipated improved bonding of “short prepared teeth that need as much retention as possible.” For Dr. Michelle Na, “ZirClean decontaminated zirconia and porcelain restorations, and Z-Prime Plus effectively prepared the surfaces for better bonding strength.” The products helped Dr. Charley Cheney reduce the need for recementation, and Dr. Zettler said zirconia crowns were “more reliably ready for cementation with no issues with crown loss.”

“ZirClean removes contaminants to provide a clean intaglio surface, and Z-Prime Plus’ MDP and BPDM monomers help to predictably achieve the higher bond strengths that are the cherry on top of a streamlined, time-efficient cementation protocol,” said Dr. Tesic. Dr. Chae experienced “more confidence in retaining short prep crowns” with fewer crowns dislodging, and Dr. Zadeh was thrilled that “none of my patients experienced postop sensitivity.” For Dr. Stall, “bonding of zirconia crowns improved dramatically.”

Versatility

“Being able to use the products on zirconia, alumina, and metal surfaces helps streamline the cleansing and bonding protocol,” shared Dr. Tesic. “They’ll make your life (and your patients’ lives) easier.” The materials helped Dr. Jetter “prepare zirconia crowns for cementing onto custom implant abutments and natural teeth.”

Dr. Chopra described them as “reliable products that will assist in ceramic crown longevity,” and Dr. King said they improved retention of zirconia and lithium disilicate restorations. “I’ve used these products in many instances in the anterior and posterior,” shared Dr. Mokbel. “They’re universal and can be used on ceramics, zirconia, and even metal, and Z-Prime Plus is very effective for bonding short crowns and all crown types.”

Overall Satisfaction

“I would highly recommend these products when using zirconia as they are now the gold standard in dentistry,” concluded Dr. Zadeh. Summing up his experience, Dr. Cheney said, “Fewer crown recementations make the whole team happy!”