Our annual Materials issue is always a good reminder that successful dentistry depends not only on the materials we choose, but also on how well we understand what we are putting in our patients’ mouths.
Zirconia is a perfect example. It isn’t enough to simply write “zirconia crown” on a laboratory prescription. Do you know who manufactures the zirconia your laboratory uses? Do you know whether you are getting 3Y, 4Y, or 5Y zirconia—and why that distinction matters? For a posterior restoration where strength is paramount, I want 3Y zirconia. In the anterior, where translucency and esthetics become more important, 5Y may be the better choice. Those are decisions we should understand and discuss with our laboratory partners rather than leave to chance.
We also need to understand how these materials should be handled clinically. When I have adequate retention and resistance form, my preference is to cement zirconia with a resin-modified glass ionomer rather than bond it with resin cement. It simplifies the procedure, and it has served me very well in my practice.
That spirit of understanding runs throughout this issue. One article takes a practical look at selecting techniques for removing bonded ceramic restorations while preserving tooth structure and surrounding tissues. Another examines additively manufactured zirconia—an emerging area that underscores just how quickly our material choices and fabrication methods continue to evolve.
Of course, nowhere is our understanding of materials more important than in esthetic dentistry, where material selection can directly influence both the appearance and longevity of our restorations. That was one reason I particularly enjoyed attending the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry’s Annual Meeting and Interdisciplinary Summit in New York City in August. The speaker lineup was outstanding, and the interdisciplinary nature of the program reinforced the value of bringing different perspectives together to achieve the best clinical outcomes.
Materials will continue to evolve. Our responsibility is to keep asking questions, examine the evidence, and understand precisely what we are using—and why.
Robert C. Margeas, DDS
Editor-in-Chief, Inside Dentistry
Private Practice, Des Moines, Iowa
Adjunct Professor • Department of Operative Dentistry
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
robert.margeas@conexiant.com
