Since its introduction in 2009, BruxZir^® Zirconia has been a model of consistent, practical evolution. Further development led to exciting new applications, such as the BruxZir Implant Prosthesis for full-arch indications and enhanced formulations like BruxZir Esthetic for lifelike translucency. These advancements have contributed to making BruxZir the No. 1 prescribed monolithic zirconia material worldwide.

The next milestone in the evolution of BruxZir was reached recently with the unveiling of the BruxZir Zirconia Shade Guide, a tool designed to simplify and render more accurate shade selections for BruxZir restorations. Standard shade guides routinely provide 16 or more shades from which to choose, but the BruxZir Shade Guide reduces that number to just eight common shades. That means simplicity, speed and more accurate results.

Unlike other shade systems, which are typically made from porcelain or acrylic, the shade tabs of the BruxZir Shade Guide are made of genuine BruxZir Zirconia. This coordination ensures that final BruxZir restorations will closely mirror your expectations.

Since the initial launch of BruxZir Zirconia, clinicians have had to rely on traditional shade guides when selecting shades for their patients’ zirconia crowns and bridges. Given that these shade guides are largely intended for non-zirconia restorations, such as PFMs and dentures, and exhibit the optical characteristics of porcelain or acrylic, clinicians have faced challenges in matching shades between such dissimilar materials. Beyond that, many traditional shade guides, designed for denture teeth, incorporate shades very rarely seen in natural dentition, such as B4. The BruxZir Shade Guide was engineered to eliminate these pitfalls. With this resource, what you see is what you get in nature.

“I had not stopped to think about a zirconia shade guide previously, but I think it makes sense for the dental industry to gain a zirconia shade guide now,” said Dr. Brandon Tiek, who operates a practice in Carmel, Indiana, and hosts the “Teeth Talk Radio” podcast. “When I tested out the BruxZir Shade Guide prototype, using the zirconia shade tabs did prove really helpful for my BruxZir Esthetic cases. I think that’s because of the lifelike vitality of BruxZir Esthetic Zirconia.

“And I liked the simplicity of the guide. I don’t need a guide with 400 shade options. Typically, I’m prescribing from a range of a few shades. So, I think the prototype shade guide delivered some needed simplicity for shade-matching. I’ll be one of the first in line when the official version is released.”

The foundation of the BruxZir Shade Guide is a sleek and sturdy base. Individual shade tabs are affixed onto a dedicated plastic mandrel, which fits in a shade guide holder. Each shade tab displays two distinct sides, glazed and unglazed, and can be rotated for convenient access to evaluate dentition. The glazed surface should be used in shade-matching for BruxZir restorations. The unglazed surface may be used for a stump shade assessment. The BruxZir shade palette displays the most frequently prescribed colors, named using Glidewell’s proprietary shade nomenclature after letter Z, for zirconia, and ranging from Z1 to Z8. The shades of the BruxZir Shade Guide also correlate with the VITA^® Classical shades A1, A2, A3, A3.5, B1, C1 and D2, along with Glidewell’s proprietary bleach shade BL. Each zirconia shade tab is marked with both the Z-shade and VITA nomenclature to aid in convenient shade conversion.

If you are interested in acquiring your own BruxZir Shade Guide, contact your Glidewell Customer Service representative at 877-708-7812 or visit glidewelldirect.com.

Glidewell is pleased to announce the availability of the NTI OmniSplint^®, a proven device for the prevention of migraine and muscle tension headaches. With this appliance, dentists have the ability to treat patients who present with recurring headaches caused by clenching. Migraines affect over 30 million people in the United States.¹ Dentists have an extraordinary opportunity to screen their patients and provide relief.

There are three simple questions dentists can ask to screen their patients to determine if an NTI OmniSplint is right for them:

1. Has a headache limited your activities for a day or more in the last three months?
2. Are you nauseated or sick to your stomach when you have a headache?
3. Are you sensitive to light when you have a headache?

If a patient answers “Yes” to two or more of these questions, they may benefit from an NTI OmniSplint.

OSTEOGEN^® PLUG

As the newest addition to the Newport Surgical™ family of bone grafting solutions, the OsteoGen^® Plug serves as both the wound dressing and bone grafting material for ridge preservation and socket regeneration. Because it functions as a two-in-one solution, the OsteoGen Plug eliminates the need for a barrier membrane. The non-ceramic bone graft crystals within the OsteoGen Plug will resorb in about 3–5 months, turning from radiolucent to radiopaque when the site is ready for implant placement.

To place an order or learn more, visit glidewelldirect.com or call 877-708-7812.