In this issue:
Creating Restorative Materials for Better Treatment
Author
The team of scientists in the Research & Development department at Glidewell constantly look for ways to improve existing materials and create new ones in response to clinical feedback from practicing dentists. This determination to provide innovative solutions to the problems dentists face is rooted in the department’s dedication to testing, collaborating with the lab and setting its sights on future dental technology — foundations in place at Glidewell since the 1970s that have helped pave the way for better, more affordable dentistry. Today, the R&D department is housed in a 12,600-square-foot building and consists of over 150 individuals, including more than a dozen Ph.D.-credentialed researchers.
The most notable R&D material creation that continues to dramatically improve how dentists practice is BruxZir® Zirconia. This was the first material that fulfilled a long-term need in the industry — a material that was affordable, tooth-colored and strong — and BruxZir checked all of those boxes. This material has since been prescribed to millions of patients around the world and serves as a strong, esthetic alternative to cast gold and PFMs. Because of the advanced engineering that went into developing BruxZir and the CAD/CAM method used for its precise fabrication, the material has become the go-to restoration in dentistry.
The Research & Development department at Glidewell uses their combined skillsets and determination to develop some of the most groundbreaking products on the market today.
Nearly a decade after the original BruxZir Full-Strength Zirconia was successfully launched, another material was added to the BruxZir family thanks to the innovation of the R&D team: BruxZir Esthetic Zirconia. Dentists loved BruxZir Full-Strength, and to meet the demand of dentists requesting a BruxZir material that would provide greater translucency in the anterior, the R&D department released BruxZir Esthetic in 2018. This material is ideal for cases where maximum esthetics are required. The lifelike vitality, combination of strength and translucency, and enhanced shade matching of BruxZir Esthetic make it a great solution to meet the needs of your patients. BruxZir Zirconia continues to evolve because of the constant testing and development of the material. With over 24 million restorations prescribed, BruxZir Zirconia now comes with a lifetime warranty.
While the success of BruxZir transformed the industry, there were still certain indications for PFMs, such as cases where there was a need to match previous PFMs or patients with insurance restrictions. Although conventional PFMs have served dentistry well, fracturing of the porcelain remained an all-too-common occurrence.
The R&D team continuously focuses on finding new ways to innovate and save clinicians time and resources.
As a result, in 2015 the R&D department developed a state-of- the-art PFM that was over four times stronger and two times more chip-resistant than existing materials. Obsidian® Fused to Metal creates finer margins, exceptional esthetics and offers the strength that dentists need. While most dentists prefer to use a material, like BruxZir, that is thinner and does not contain metal, PFMs still have their place as a restorative option, and Obsidian Fused to Metal crowns, developed by the R&D team, continue to meet the needs of clinicians through constant improvements and upgrades. Because there are more innovations in the digitalization of PFMs and advancements in shading and opaquing technology, the R&D department works closely with Glidewell’s PFM department to enhance the speed and quality of these restorations.
The R&D Materials team also focuses on continuously updating the products within the BruxZir family. In addition to constantly optimizing the balance of strength and esthetics, the team has expanded the BruxZir brand to accommodate emerging technologies. For instance, with the glidewell.io™ In-Office Solution, dentists now have the ability to mill same-day crowns from fully sintered BruxZir NOW Zirconia right in their practice, allowing patients to receive a high-strength restoration in a single visit.
New innovations like the BruxZir Shade Guide are constantly being studied and produced for the benefit of dentists all around the globe.
Innovation in the R&D department is not just limited to ceramics. The team continues to create products to improve dentistry — for the dentist and the patient. One of these new ideas is expanding the assortment of 3D-printable resins for use in the lab and potentially dental offices. Having already received positive feedback from the Comfort3D™ Bite Splint, which is produced using 3D-printing technology, the R&D department plans on developing similar methods for the fabrication of other bite splints, dentures and additional removable devices in the future.
There’s simply no limit to what the R&D department at Glidewell can accomplish as it continues to create materials for a better path forward and make more affordable solutions for dentists and patients.
