Danville’s ZNano™ Universal Composite:

Advanced Technology, Superior Performance

Michael A. Miyasaki, DDS, says it is important that clinicians stay abreast of new materials for anterior and posterior direct composite restorations, which remain one of the core procedures in a typical restorative dental practice. “As new materials become available, clinicians need to be aware of advances in material performance, particularly in terms of ease-of-use and greater predictability of results,” he advises.

Miyasaki, who is Executive Vice President of R&D and Clinical Affairs for Danville Materials LLC, considers use of best practices and materials in this regard a key aspect of providing restorations that align with the principles of minimally invasive dentistry. “When properly performed, clinicians can place conservative, esthetic restorations that restore strength to the teeth and provide a valuable service to their patients.”

Challenges that practitioners face while placing direct restorations, he notes, include shade selection of the restorative material, placement of posterior interproximal restorations with good anatomic shape and contact, the avoidance of post-placement sensitivity, and providing low-wear restorations for adequate longevity. Danville Materials, he explains, produces materials that can help dentists overcome these challenges in order to more efficiently and successfully place direct restorations.

“Danville Materials is a leader in adhesive dental procedures and products,” Miyasaki asserts, “and has long been noted for developing materials and techniques to assist the clinician in delivering successful direct restorations more efficiently.” He points out that the company’s anchor material is its new ZNano™ composite, an advanced restorative material that uniquely combines the strength of zirconia fillers to create a zirconia-silica nanoparticle-filled universal composite.

According to Miyasaki, who lectures on the science and clinical applications of Danville products, this universal composite—which contains 80-nm zirconia/silica-based filler (73% by weight) and can be used for all classes of restorations—addresses the aforementioned challenges, starting with shade selection. “ZNano is matched to the Vita^® Shade guide that clinicians are very familiar with, so shade selection is easy. As a universal composite, a single shade of ZNano can be used in most clinical situations to achieve the proper esthetic result,” he says, adding that the product’s “chameleon” characteristics often allow ZNano restorations to blend in naturally with the adjacent tooth structure.

Although Miyasaki acknowledges that Danville offers opaque and bleach shades for situations that require more opacity or a higher value, he suggests clinicians focus first on the form or contour of the restoration before attempting to adjust the shade. “If the shade is close, and the composite being used has the chameleon property, it is often the contour of the anterior restoration or the occlusal anatomy given to the posterior restoration that enables the material to blend into the natural tooth structure remarkably well,” he explains.

Miyasaki further recommends using other products in the Danville line to achieve tight contacts and avoid postoperative sensitivity. “When placing a posterior restoration, use of Danville’s Mega V Ring to hold the segmental matrix in place will give a tight, anatomical contact every time. And combined with the reliability of Danville’s Prelude™ or Prelude One™ adhesive systems, there is little worry of postoperative sensitivity,” he says.

He also notes that due to the small particle size in ZNano, the material offers superior strength, durability, and polishability. “ZNano is highly polishable and resists ‘plucking’ or the loss of these particles that can lead to a dull appearance over time. Even if coarse prophy paste is used by mistake during polishing, ZNano’s finish remains esthetically satisfactory. Also, its excellent wear property makes it unnecessary to layer another wear-resistant composite on the occlusal surface, again making the single-composite, single-shade method an excellent technique to use with ZNano,” he suggests.

Regarding visibility, Miyasaki says, “There is no worry concerning the clinical appearance of either the sculptable or flowable forms of ZNano, with radiopacity of 205% and 300% of aluminum, respectively, making them easy to see on radiographs and unlikely to be mistaken as a void.”

“ZNano is a new, high-performing restorative material that discerning clinicians should try,” Miyasaki concludes.

Danville Materials LLC
3420 Fostoria Way, Suite A-200
San Ramon, CA 94583

800-827-7940
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