History
Slip technique
Inspired by the classic slip technique applied in the ceramics industry, the VITA infiltration technique was developed by the dentist and material scientist Dr. M. Sadoun. It was brought to market by VITA Zahnfabrik under the name of VITA In-Ceram in 1989.
The starting material in powder form is mixed with a special liquid in an ultrasonic bath. The slip that is obtained in this way is applied onto a special plaster die. Thus, the restoration obtains its final, precision-fit inner contour.
Then the material is porously sintered at a temperature above 1100 °C. At this temperature only a limited number of bonds between the grains are formed at certain spots. In this condition the material exhibits a chalky consistency and can be easily processed further.
A special glass is infiltrated during an additional processing step. This step ensures that the restoration features its characteristic color, translucency and high final strength. Since sintering shrinkage does not occur, the dimensions of the substructure remain unchanged during sintering as well as during glass infiltration.
Milling technique
In addition to the classical VITA In-Ceram slip technique, there has also been the possibility to fabricate crown and bridge substructures from industrially sintered machine grinding methods (CAD/CAM procedures, copy grinding method) since 1993.
Due to industrial sintering of VITA In-Ceram BLANKS, increases of the strength, in particular the dependability (Weibull modulus) have been achieved. The industrial production of the block material combined with more intense sintering (necking) compared to the slip material leads to a material which exhibits excellent machinability and ensures safe handling with reduced process times.
Current developments
VITA In-Ceram YZ blocks have been available since 2002. This type of material consisting of yttrium-stabilized zirconium oxide must solely be processed using the CAD/CAM technology (Sirona inLab system). The high final strength of the material is not achieved by glass infiltration but by controlled sintering shrinkage. To ensure consistently reliable processing and high precision of fit of VITA In-Ceram, the YZ blocks are first ground automatically (size enlarged by 25 %).
With the introduction of VITA In-Ceram AL pre-sintered aluminum oxide blocks with fascinating properties have been available recently.
Thus, VITA In-Ceram also stands for high-performance ceramics – an all-ceramics system for the future.
VITABLOCS® for the CEREC® and inLab®System
Since 1986 the CEREC System of today’s Sirona Dental Systems – formerly Siemens Dental – has been in clinical use. Meanwhile CEREC and inLab are market leaders in the area of dental CAD/CAM systems in practice and laboratory.
VITABLOCS® – The beginning
After the inventors Mörmann and Brandestini had first developed a prototype using composite and ceramic blocks designed and manufactured by themselves, a professional solution for introducing the system had to be found.
The year 1984 laid the foundation for a close and fruitful cooperation between Prof. Mörmann’s department and VITA Zahnfabrik. In 1985 Prof. Mörmann in Zurich incorporated the first all-ceramic inlay chairside that he had designed using a CEREC 1 device and ground from a VITABLOC of the first generation.
VITABLOCS® Mark II
In 1991 VITA introduced VITABLOCS Mark II the second generation of ceramic blocks,. They were made from fine-structure feldspar ceramics. This fine-structure texture as well as the industrial sintering process are amongst others the cause of good polishing properties. Then as now scientists attest to a particularly abrasion-free behavior of this ceramic in the mouth.
TriLuxe – Layered as a natural tooth
2003 VITA introduced the VITABLOCS TriLuxe. The use of a new production technique brought about the success of developing a ceramic block consisting of three layers: Neck, dentine and enamel. The layers differ in their degree of color saturation and therefore in their degree of translucency. Using these blocks the dentist has the opportunity to realize a shade gradient typical for a natural tooth chairside. Opposed to the VITABLOCS TriLuxe, the color transition from the enamel to the neck layer display softer nuances with the VITABLOCS TriLuxe forte. At the same time the chroma in the lower dentine or neck area makes for a more intense impression.
Overview: VITA all-ceramics
2007
| Introduction of VITA PM9
|
| 2007 | Introduction of VITABLOCS® TriLuxe forte for CEREC®/inLab®
|
| 2007 | Introduction of VITA CAD-Temp® for inLab® composite blocks
|
| 2006 | Introduction of VITA CAD-Waxx for inLab® acrylate polymer blocks
|
| 2005 | Introduction of VITA In-Ceram® AL for inLab®
|
| 2004 | Introduction of VITA VM 9 ESTHETIC KIT for VITABLOCS®
|
| 2003 | Introduction of VITABLOCS® TriLuxe for CEREC®/inLab®
|
| 2002 | Introduction of VITA In-Ceram® YZ for inLab®
|
| 1999 | Introduction of VITA In-Ceram® ZIRCONIA for inLab®
|
| 1997 | Introduction of VITA In-Ceram® SPINELL/ALUMINA for inLab®
|
| 1993 | Introduction of the first industrially sintered blocks for various mechanical copy-milling techniques
|
| 1991 | Introduction of VITABLOCS® Mark II for CEREC®
|
| 1989 | Introduction of the VITA In-Ceram® slip technique with the material types SPINELL, ALUMINA and ZIRCONIA
|
| 1986 | First production series of VITABLOCS® for CEREC®
|
| 1985 | First clinical use of VITABLOCS® at the University of Zurich
|