VITA LUMEX AC: Outstanding esthetics on titanium and all other ceramic frameworks

Tsai-Lien Shih, Dental Technician and Technical Director,
Changhua, Taiwan

The dental technician Tsai-Lien Shih is Technical Director of the Chuang Yi Dental Lab (Yuanlin, Taiwan). He is fascinated by innovative dental materials and technologies, which is why he is always excited and curious to learn about the latest developments. He actively seeks out new and advanced options in order to be able to offer his customers the best possible esthetics and function. In order to achieve this goal, he consistently invests his time and resources and is always on the lookout for the right partners and dentists who share his philosophy. This makes his business a living laboratory with the opportunity for positive change.

Formula for success: Professional development and a combination of digital and analog workflows

He sees the professional development of his dental technicians as an ongoing strategy to support quality assurance. In this respect, his laboratory consistently emphasizes a combination of digital and conventional workflows to take into account the individuality of every patient. He has been using the universal veneering ceramic VITA LUMEX AC (VITA Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany) for some time in order to provide his employees with simple and universal process reliability when veneering. In addition to ceramic frameworks, he also veneers titanium in the esthetic zone, using the leucite-reinforced glass ceramic. He reports on how this fits with his philosophy in the following interview.

Why did you decide to use a titanium framework for a single-tooth restoration in the esthetic zone?

Purely from an economic point of view, many dentists and dental technicians like to use titanium as a framework structure if the indication allows it, due to the fluctuating prices for gold and other metals. Titanium is a proven materials and offers outstanding biocompatibility. With implants in particular - which are fabricated using titanium - precise screw connections and stability are ensured. In the case of a deep and strong bite that exerts a lot of force, it provides the necessary robustness. What's more, on premium quality titanium, the adhesion of VITA LUMEX AC is excellent.

CAD/CAM-fabricated titanium framework on the model.

Masking a metal framework structure and establishing a lifelike veneer on it is a challenge. How does VITA LUMEX AC tackle this task?

The VITA LUMEX AC OPAQUE materials are very different from other, conventional metal-ceramic materials. With these, we needed three or four layers of opaque, and also three or four firing cycles in order to cover the dark titanium core. In doing so, the individual layers should not be too thick in order to avoid cracks that could be difficult to control. With VITA LUMEX AC, I have a real advantage in this respect. I have never experienced cracks, even in the case of thick opaque layers. As a result, less layering is required, and of course less time.

Titanium offers functional reliability, particularly for heavy loads.

How can highly esthetic results be achieved on titanium using VITA LUMEX AC? What is the importance here of the shade fidelity of the veneering system to the VITA shade standards?

After the opaque, I use VITA LUMEX AC FLUO INTENSE materials to control the fluorescence individually from within. This makes it much easier to achieve highly esthetic results. I have heard that VITA is also planning to offer the POWERWASH materials (laughs) in order to have even more control on frameworks with different levels of translucency. I'm already looking forward to trying that out. With VITA SYSTEM 3D-MASTER, the shade fidelity as a basis for matching reproduction is excellent after firing. With VITA classical A1-D4, the ceramic materials seem slightly warmer to me, which can suit Asian hues.

The highly esthetic veneer with the universal veneering ceramic VITA LUMEX AC.

How would you evaluate the firing stability of VITA LUMEX AC generally? Do you also use the universal veneering ceramic on ceramic frameworks or by itself on fireproof dies?

In my experience, the firing stability is simply outstanding. VITA LUMEX AC delivers the best results, particularly in comparison with other popular low-fusing veneering ceramic systems. Morphology and shade are absolutely stable, even after four or five firing cycles. This is phenomenal. This has also been my experience with ceramic framework structures. I haven't tried out VITA LUMEX AC on fireproof dies yet. Up to now, I've always used VITA VM 9 for that. But I'm just waiting for the right case to use VITA LUMEX AC for that too.

The titanium ceramic crown with VITA LUMEX AC offers an absolutely lifelike and natural appearance.

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