It’s the inaugural issue of a new year, and with it Glidewell Dental Laboratories is celebrating the launch of a new material in Obsidian^® Lithium Silicate Ceramic Pressed to Metal. Years of laboratory and clinical research have resulted in a highly esthetic, translucent and strong restorative material for clinicians to use in scenarios where PFMs are indicated.

Obsidian represents a significant advancement in the most time-tested of all dental restorations. A high-strength monolithic reformulated for pressed-to-metal applications, Obsidian boasts a flexural strength of 385 MPa, significantly higher than, and therefore significantly less likely to suffer chips and fractures when compared to, conventional ceramics. And in the interest of full disclosure, it also holds a place near and dear to my heart, with its release something of a culmination of a journey for me.

Four years ago, I joined the Glidewell Research and Development team as a clinician in our in-house operatory with the specific goal of effecting clinical research support for the Obsidian material. Having firsthand knowledge of the material, I can attest to its strength, esthetics and versatility. It can be milled or pressed as an all-ceramic restoration for a variety of indications such as veneers, inlays, onlays and crowns. It can also be pressed to metal, giving us a very strong yet esthetic restoration.

Beyond Obsidian, we have an article by Drs. Carlos Boudet and Mauricio Gutierrez espousing the merits of digital scan bodies for implants. Giving implantologists the ability to forego the pitfalls of traditional impressions, scanning abutments allow for taking advantage of the benefits digital intraoral impressions provide, including the ability to go directly to computer-aided design of the restoration. The transformational change that digital workflows have provided clinicians and laboratories results in more accurate and efficient systems for fabrication and delivery of final restorations.

A new addition to Chairside^® magazine is our very own Gary the Lawyer. In this issue, Gary details how he has managed the impossible task of having negative Yelp reviews removed from their website. Also, Dr. Justin Chi gives us insight into the benefits of a CAD/CAM workflow with chairside milling using an Obsidian milling block, and Dr. Anamaria Muresan showcases the versatility of this material with an Obsidian veneers case, following restorative surgery completed by Dr. Peter Scheer.

I want to close by saying how excited I am for the new year of Chairside magazine. I look forward to continuing our tradition of bringing you the latest in informative cases, cutting-edge technologies and educational features, and invite every one of you to share with us your own thoughts and discoveries as we progress this industry forward together.