High-Quality, Same-Day Dentistry for Locals and Tourists

GC America’s GC Initial® LiSi Block and G-CEM ONE™ enable efficient and predictable chairside restoration

When Miles R. Cone, DMD, MS, CDT, thinks about the legacy that he will leave at the end of his career, he hopes it will be that of a clinician who was known for performing extremely high-end dentistry and bringing his knowledge and techniques to the profession as an educator. Cone currently maintains a small, boutique prosthodontics practice in Portland, Maine, in which he and his wife, who manages the practice, are the only personnel on staff. Although they have had many opportunities to expand the practice, they choose to keep it small to prioritize patients who truly want the best of the best and to allow plenty of time for Cone to travel as a key opinion leader and educator. "As a dentist with a practice with limited resources and no associates, I can only treat so many people," Cone says. "But if I can educate a dozen, two dozen, or even 100 other dentists on how I do dentistry, from the materials and techniques that I use to the protocols that I follow, then I feel that is how I will have the biggest impact."

A certified prosthodontist who completed the US Army's prosthodontics residency program, Cone belongs to a unique class of dentists who are also certified dental technicians, and he does much of his own ceramics. He emphasizes that what really elevated his work as a prosthodontist was developing close relationships with high-end laboratory ceramists whom he could learn from and were willing to give him useful, honest feedback about his preparations and photography. According to Cone, the majority of his new patient acquisitions come in via word of mouth, and they come from all different demographics. However, regardless of their background, many of his patients have one key thing in common: they have seen other dentists and specialists and are at the end of the line just trying to find a way to make their teeth blend in. "We are usually the last practice our patients come to after a long journey of trying to address their dental issues," Cone says. "We prioritize seeing a low volume of patients so that we can truly offer the best care and get it done right, and that reputation is really what gets patients in the door."

In addition to his resident high-end clients, Cone often sees tourists who come to him looking for fast same-day dentistry. "Maine has a pretty large tourism industry that is known for lobster rolls, whale watching, and the beaches and mountains," he says. "Therefore, we often get folks coming in who experience dental issues, such as a cracked tooth, while on vacation but are heading home again in a few days. They need quick solutions that won't require them to spend an entire day in the dental office, and we are able to provide that with our same-day dentistry services."

For these same-day dentistry cases, Cone relies on the quality and efficiency of GC America's GC Initial^® LiSi Block. This lithium disilicate glass ceramic CAD/CAM block features GC's proprietary High Density Micronization technology, which delivers high wear resistance, smooth margins, and esthetic final results-all while saving time chairside. GC Initial LiSi Block is fully crystalized, so there is no need for firing, and its unique ultrafine crystals make it easy to grind and allow it to be quickly milled. A high gloss and natural opalescence can be obtained in just a few minutes by polishing only, and then the restoration is ready for luting. "Some clinicians may not be familiar with the various factors that separate milling materials," says Cone, "but any dentist looking to get into CAD/CAM dentistry or same-day dentistry can appreciate the fact that you do not have to purchase an oven to use GC Initial LiSi Block. Restorations made from this material are ready to go right out of the milling machine, so the blocks are perfect for chairside milling or in situations in which a dentist wants a small milling unit but doesn't have space for an oven or doesn't want an oven heating up his or her space. With GC Initial LiSi Block, restorations just need to be water sprayed, and then, you can get straight to polishing."

Another benefit that Cone has experienced with GC Initial LiSi Block is that the restorations are durable and do not chip. "It's a much more forgiving material than some of the other CAD/CAM blocks out there," he says. "Of course, you always try to follow the manufacturer's instructions, regardless of the material that you are using, but sometimes you come up a little short of the requirements, such as those for the margins, in some areas of a restoration. When I mill GC Initial LiSi Block, my margins don't chip, they don't flake away, and they are easier to polish and finish than with some of the other blocks." Cone also notes that his patients have been happy with the esthetics and that the translucency gives the restorations a natural appearance.

Once Cone has milled a crown, his cement of choice to place it is GC America's G-CEM ONE^™ universal self-adhesive resin cement. "What I like about G-CEM ONE is the speed of the tack cure, which only requires 1 second," he says. "When I first started working with this material, that was actually challenging because you really have to move fast. But I started to see the benefit when treating emergency patients who were bleeding a lot or who really didn't have enough remaining tooth structure to place a rubber dam because being able to tack cure fast enough that the blood or saliva doesn't interfere with adhesion is really helpful." G-CEM ONE can be used to cement all types of ceramic, resin, and metal-based inlays, onlays, crowns, and bridges as well as fiber and cast posts and cores and both ceramic and composite veneers. And for emergency patients who don't have ideal preparations because they were done in a different clinic and who want a quick in-and-out fix, Cone appreciates the Adhesive Enhancing Primer that comes in the G-CEM ONE starter kit, which accelerates the chemical cure of the cement.

GC America has provided Cone with phenomenal support for his career through the reliability and efficiency of their products and the customer support that they offer as well as by inviting him into the educational space as a speaker. With GC Initial LiSi Block and G-CEM ONE, Cone can perform the highest quality same-day dentistry for any type of patient, whether they're tourists who just want to enjoy their vacations or those who have been on extensive dental journeys and are ready for a more lasting, permanent solution.

Key Points

• GC Initial LiSi Block is fully crystalized, so there is no need for firing, and its unique ultrafine crystals make it easy to grind and allow it to be quickly milled.

• High Density Micronization technology enables GC Initial LiSi Block to deliver high wear resistance, smooth margins, and esthetic final results.

• G-CEM ONE universal self-adhesive resin cement demonstrates excellent bond strength to enamel, dentin, and indirect restorations of all types and materials.

• The optional Adhesive Enhancing Primer provides optimal bond strength in challenging clinical situations, such as those involving less retentive preparations.

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