18 million. That’s how many BruxZir^® restorations you’ve prescribed since the material’s release in 2009, resulting in renewed form and function for millions of smiles. The response to this groundbreaking technology has been extraordinary — and we have you to thank for it. We are truly humbled that BruxZir has earned such widespread trust from dentists, technicians and researchers across our industry. And I’d like you to know that we take that trust very seriously.

So it pleases me to announce that BruxZir Solid Zirconia has now surpassed eight years of scientific evaluation by TRAC Research, the clinical studies division of the independent Gordon J. Christensen Clinicians Report^®.* Having contributed 700 BruxZir crowns to this independent study in 2010, we are gratified to learn that, after eight years in the mouth, these BruxZir zirconia restorations have exhibited 100 percent survival and zero terminal fractures. Of more than 200 materials examined in the foundation’s 42-year history, BruxZir zirconia has been found to best meet the foundation’s seven most sought-after characteristics for restorative materials. These results offer solid, objective evidence of the long-term benefits your patients will receive from the most clinically validated monolithic zirconia in dentistry, and we’re honored to provide millions of patients with the durability and confidence it offers.

Still, our commitment to dentistry goes beyond any single material. We want to engage with dentists wherever there’s a challenge to overcome or a problem to solve. Just ask the attendees of our second annual Glidewell Dental Symposium, which featured an accomplished lineup of speakers, who delivered clinical insights in a fast-paced format designed to provide the most relevant, practical information. The hands-on curriculum was our most ambitious to date, with 12 workshops offering a deep dive into innovative topics. Our interactive exhibits allowed participants to get up close and personal with the latest technology straight out of our Research & Development division, spanning solutions in artificial intelligence, in-office milling, esthetic zirconia, dental implants, and more. It was gratifying to see the level of enthusiasm from our attendees and to share with them all of the new processes and concepts that are emerging.

As our enterprise enters its 50th year, I’ve been asked: After all that we’ve achieved, why not call it a career? Because we’re just getting started. Your continued dedication to patients has inspired us to push the boundaries of innovation. And innovation doesn’t rest. It doesn’t seek accolades or reflect on past achievements. It simply seeks the next challenge, the next roadblock, and finds the means to overcome it. Whether it’s the engineering of software and hardware, or improvements in restorative materials, or continuing education opportunities for the adoption of advanced technologies, we have never been more excited, more invigorated, to be part of dentistry’s ceaseless evolution.

As long as dentists like you are striving to grow their practices and improve the lives of their patients, we will be here to commend those efforts and play our part in helping you to achieve these goals.

*An independent nonprofit, dental education and product testing foundation, Clinicians Report^®, November, 2018. For the full report, go to bruxzir.com/8-year. Study results apply to BruxZir 2009 3Y zirconia.