Argen Introduces Cosmetic Zirconia for the Esthetic Zone

Strength or esthetics: Dental professionals have historically had to choose one or the other. What if a manufacturer could offer exceptional quality for both in one material? The Argen Corporation sought to answer that question, and the result was the development of ArgenZ Anterior Super Translucent Zirconia.

“The demand for a more esthetic monolithic material appears never-ending,” says Paul Cascone, Argen’s Senior VP of Research and Development. “Lithium disilicate initially filled that space, but we found a way for a zirconia product to economically and esthetically compete.”

Argen spent more than two years developing ArgenZ Anterior, which offers a 25% increase in translucency over HT zirconia and a flexural strength of 765 MPa. The composition includes cubic zirconia, which refracts additional light, creating an optical effect closely mimicking the appearance of natural teeth.

“Our initial work on combining zirconia powder phases to deliver increased translucency showed promise, but the formulation was unreliable,” Cascone says. “Only by working backward to the powder fabrication were we able to create a stable product containing both cubic and tetragonal zirconia phases that produced the desired translucency with sufficient strength for anterior restorations. In other words, how the cubic zirconia was introduced into the tetragonal phases was key to a successful product.”

The result is a product that is available in three-unit full-contour anterior bridges and single-unit posterior and anterior crowns.

“ArgenZ Anterior Zirconia delivers increased translucency and vitality more closely mimicking the natural dentition of the teeth while maintaining a flexural strength of 765 MPa,” Cascone says. “The laboratories can now deliver a highly esthetic restoration within their digital workflow. No porcelain pressing or build up is required.”

Laboratories can submit files for manufacturing through argendigital.com or, for 3Shape users, via Argen’s new, game-changing file-upload system, ArgenLink. With quick turnaround times, laboratories receive milled units in just two business days.

“The Anterior zirconia from Argen is both beautiful and strong,” Cascone says.