High-end Ceramist Creates Beautiful Harmonies

Premium multilayer zirconia helps meet esthetic expectations

Artistic expressionism has always driven Sean Park, MDC. As a child, Park, dreamed of becoming a professional pianist until a financial crisis in his native Korea derailed that plan. Park nearly pursued a more conventional job, until one day his mother described a dental laboratory technician at her church.

"I was very interested," Park says. "I always wanted to do things with my hands."

Park eventually began working for Naoki Hayashi and Akinobu Ogata, whom he now considers mentors.

"I consider myself very lucky," he says. "I was able to start my career with great technicians and was able to see their work and learn from them. It was such great motivation, and it helped me to become a better dental technician."

That drive led Park to the UCLA Center for Esthetic Dentistry, where he studied under Edward McLaren, DDS. He now works alongside his brother, master ceramist David Park, at the in-house laboratory for Goldstein, Garber & Salama, a high-end, boutique-style dental practice in Atlanta, Georgia.

"It is a great opportunity to work with the best dentists in the world, and I am very glad that I can be part of the team" Park says. "Our goal always is to truly understand what our patients need and provide great satisfaction."

Even as a very accomplished technician, Park always remains eager to learn more through various avenues of education.

"There are still many things that I want to learn and achieve," Park says. "I believe education is very important. There are many courses and conferences available for dental technicians. I understand we are busy and always working with tight schedules. However, I believe it is important to keep learning and updating our knowledge in an industry that is evolving rapidly with new technologies, techniques, and materials."

One of the materials that Park is most passionate about is KATANA Zirconia from Kuraray Noritake. With a variety of options from UTML to HTML, the KATANA line has become synonymous with high-end restorative work.

"I really enjoy working with KATANA," Park says. "It has a great selection of shades. It is a multilayer disc comprising 35% body layer, two 15% transition layers, and a 35% enamel layer on the incisor. These layers help to achieve natural and esthetic restorations with minimal effort."

Park has been particularly impressed with the new KATANA HTML disc, which features 1125-MPa strength.

"It is slightly less translucent compared with KATANA STML," he says. "However, it has enough translucency and is suitable for full-contour stain and glaze techniques. We do many all-on-X full-arch zirconia cases, and I was always seeking more strength in a highly esthetic zirconia disc. HTML is just perfect for these types of cases."

KATANA Zirconia is extremely consistent, which Park attributes to the fact that it is manufactured in Kuraray Noritake's own factory in Japan. He also touts the innovative multilayer technology.

"It allows technicians to achieve a very smooth transition of color gradiation, which is beneficial for both full monolithic and cutback techniques," Park says. "For a full monolithic technique, translucency can simply be enhanced by applying blue or grey stains on the external surface. For a cutback technique, the layers can be used as internal dentin structure, so minimal porcelain layering is necessary to achieve great esthetic results."

The variety of discs from UTML to HTML, he adds, provides valuable versatility.

"The great selection of discs will help laboratories deal with a variety of challenging clinical situations," he says, "such as dark stump shades or titanium implant abutments."

Park believes so strongly in KATANA that he serves as an international instructor for Kuraray Noritake.

"The company truly understands what dental technicians need and their artistic capabilities," he says. "They offer great communication and support. Along with their other great instructors, I feel like we are a great, big family, and I am always appreciative of their opportunities and support."

With KATANA Zirconia in their arsenal, Park and his high-end team are able to create beautiful harmonies—just different types than he dreamed of as a child.

"My goal as a dental technician is to produce restorations that look as natural as possible," Park says. "KATANA Zirconia has met my expectations. I am able to achieve many great esthetic results with it. The consistency and smooth multilayer color gradiation of the disc will help many technicians achieve natural and esthetic results. Furthermore, fabrication becomes much simpler, so technicians can expect greater productivity and efficiency."

For more information, contact:
Kuraray America, Inc.
kuraraydental.com
800-879-1676