Lithium Disilicate, Reformulated

High-strength glass makes a comeback in a more esthetic pressable form

At Sunrise, we are always looking for new materials to offer our clients. It's exceedingly rare for me to look for a product that essentially could diminish another product my laboratory is currently offering. Too often the buzz from the glossy literature can lure us into buying something that doesn't satisfy our needs. I pride myself on being a resource to my clients. When something new comes out, I do not jump on the bandwagon and just offer it. We always do extensive in-house testing before I even mention something new to my clients.

Anyone who has worked with lithium disilicate products knows of the frustrations that can occur from case to case. Often we struggled for realistic translucency with proper masking; other times we were plagued with either a monochromatic restoration or a low-value restoration that just didn't blend in the mouth. Compounding that frustration was the nagging reaction layer that often occurred with other brands of lithium disilicate on the market.

But now the geniuses at GC have addressed these frustrations and more by developing a new proprietary process called high-density micronization (HDM). This process takes smaller crystals and more evenly disperses them in the matrix compared to the competitor's larger crystal matrix. So what does this HDM mean to me? Is it just another trick to sell more glass? Thankfully for my business, my customers, and ultimately the patient, HDM is a true advancement in strength and shade replication across the vast opacity levels of ingots available. Using GC Initial LiSi Press, we can now offer a product indicated for almost every type of restoration, with predictable shades exhibiting a chameleon effect that blends into surrounding dentition.

Whether full-contoured or layered with its perfectly matched companion product (GC Initial LiSi ceramic), LiSi Press is sure to wow your clients with its superior performance and unmatched esthetics. At Sunrise we utilize a complete system. We do not mix and match materials from different manufacturers.. We develop a successful protocol to maintain consistency from case to case. GC has put together a set of products that really do work together in harmony.

The high-translucency “HT” enamel replacement ingots are really spectacular. These new HT ingots differ from the competition by offering true “chromatic” incisal colors. This allows for vibrant shades that do not exhibit the low-value struggles common with competing products.

After hundreds of successful LiSi Press restorations produced in my laboratory over the last year, we now press LiSi three-to-one over the competitor's product.

In this very competitive market, technicians need products that save time and offer consistent results. LiSi Press is one of those few products that hits the mark immediately.

Key Takeaways

• Unsurpassed flexural strength (>500 MPa) thanks to proprietary HDM technology
• Save up to 20 minutes per restoration
• Rich, warm, bright colors exhibiting excellent fluorescence
• Virtually no reaction layer when divested
• Unparalleled esthetics

About the Author

John Wilson
Owner/operator
Sunrise Dental Laboratory
Yucaipa, CA

Manufacturer Information
GC America Inc.
gcamerica.com
800-323-3386