In a dental laboratory, a job well done means working efficiently and always with the utmost accuracy. To enable broader options for efficient workflows, 3M ESPE has announced updates for the 3M™ True Definition Scanner and 3M™ ESPE™ Lava™ Plus High Translucency Zirconia.

The 3M True Definition Scanner now has three new, laboratory-focused CAD/CAM Trusted Connections with 3Shape Dental System™, exocad® DentalCAD, and Dental Wings, that seamlessly integrate with its proprietary 3M™ Margin Marking Software. The new Trusted Connections allow laboratories to apply unparalleled accuracy to their entire digital workflow and offer dentists a broader selection of dental laboratories with which to work.

“The 3M Margin Marking Software plays a critical role in ensuring that the unparalleled accuracy of the 3M True Definition can be carried through our entire lab workflow,” said Brett Pittman, owner of Pittman Dental Lab in Gainesville, Georgia. “Our doctors frequently report fewer remakes and little or no adjustment of occlusal surfaces and proximal contacts with restorations produced from digital impressions from the 3M True Definition Scanner, in large part due to the quality of the Margin Marking Software tools that 3M provides.”

Also contributing to efficiency, 3M ESPE has released Lava Plus High Translucency Zirconia in a disc format for open-source milling. The 98mm-diameter zirconia discs are available in thicknesses of 14mm, 18mm and 25mm, and in formats with and without a step – offering the reliability and high performance for which the Lava brand is known. The product’s patented shading system, developed specifically for Lava Plus zirconia, offers a wide range of dyeing liquids with 18 shades for a consistent match to the VITA classical A1 – D4 shade guide (VITA Zahnfabrik),and two additional 3M ESPE bleach shades. These dyeing liquids can also be used with the Lava™ Plus High Translucency Enamel Liquids, which are available in 100ml bottles and in shades of Enamel Bleach, Enamel Light, and Enamel Medium, and are the optimal enhancements to Lava Plus Dyeing Liquids.

“This introduction gives labs access to one of the most trusted zirconia materials on the market, as well as shading options that help them easily create highly esthetic restorations,” said Jennifer Van Ranst, U.S. marketing manager. “After millions of cases around the world, we’re proud to make Lava zirconia easier to access than ever.”