Did you ever wonder why the products of the PANAVIA™ brand offer an outstanding performance? You probably know that they all contain the original MDP monomer developed in the early 1980s. It has attracted much attention because it is such an excellent adhesive monomer. This phosphate ester monomer forms a very strong bond to tooth structure, zirconia, and dental metals. It has been used in every PANAVIA™ product. In reality, however, other catalytic technologies and ingredients alongside MDP are important technological contributors supporting the performance of our cementation solutions.
Ingredients affecting the polymerisation reaction
One of these decisive additional technologies and ingredients is the polymerization catalyst triggering the curing process. Different from the MDP monomer used in every PANAVIA™ product, the polymerization catalyst has been continuously improved since the introduction of PANAVIA™ EX in 1983. New versions have been developed for PANAVIA™ 21, PANAVIA™ Fluoro Cement and PANAVIA™ V5, for example.
Another important component also affecting the curing process is the Touch Cure Technology used in two of the three major products of the current PANAVIA™ Portfolio: PANAVIA™ V5 and PANAVIA™ Veneer LC. This technology was first used in PANAVIA™ 21, which was launched in 1993. The contact of the chemical polymerization activator contained in the self-etching primer with the resin cement paste accelerates the polymerization of the cement from the adhesive interface, thus providing better adhesion of the resin cement.
In developing PANAVIA™ V5, we reviewed the chemical composition of the existing PANAVIA™ products and updated it substantially. The Touch Cure technology has also been adopted for use in the case of PANAVIA™ V5 Tooth Primer and the concomitantly used PANAVIA™ V5 Paste. When cementing veneers with PANAVIA™ Veneer LC, we also use PANAVIA™ V5 Tooth Primer for conditioning teeth. This also involves the application of Touch Cure technology for achieving an adhesive connection with the tooth without compromising the working time of the cement paste.
Additional adhesive monomers
Even in the field of adhesive monomers, however, our development efforts did not come to a halt: We developed the LCSi monomer, a long carbon chain silane-coupling agent which made possible to integrate the function of a ceramic primer in our universal self-adhesive resin cement PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal.
With its high level of hydrophobicity, this monomer provides stable, long-term bond strength. Generally speaking, it may be said that the reason bond durability may drop is a hydrolytic reaction damaging the chemical bond between the silica contained in the glass ceramics and the silanecoupling agent.
Three products covering virtually every need
By combining these technologies and ingredients in a smart way, we have succeeded in developing a resin cement portfolio that covers virtually every need. With PANAVIA™ V5, PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal and PANAVIA™ Veneer LC, it is possible to treat a wide variety of cases. The products allow for the luting of various types of restorations, prosthetic appliances and for the placement of posts and produce great outcomes if used properly according to the instructions for use.
PANAVIA™ V5 is the resin cement that has the widest range of uses among the three cement systems just mentioned. It covers almost all the intended uses of the other two cements.
Therefore, it is possible for the dental practitioner to choose the right cement system for treatment, according to the cases arriving at the clinic and patient needs, from among these three major resin cement products: PANAVIA™ V5, a resin cement with a wide range of applications; PANAVIA™ SA Cement Universal, a simple and easy-handling self-adhesive resin cement; and PANAVIA™ Veneer LC when there is a need to bond laminate veneers.
Exploring new opportunities
The good thing about developing technologies in a company like Kuraray Noritake Dental is that their application is not limited to a certain product or product group. The R&D Department always carries out research on how to leverage the benefits of the technologies in other applications.
Take, for example, KATANA™ Cleaner, which was released in 2019. This cleaning agent can be used to remove saliva, blood, temporary cement, or other contaminants that can adhere to the surfaces of teeth or prosthetic devices during trial fitting and temporary cementation of a prosthetic device. This unique product has been developed by taking advantage of the surfactant function of the MDP monomer.
Conclusion
Hence, it is mainly our long-standing knowledge and experience in the development of dental resin cements and adhesive solutions that provides for the excellence of the current PANAVIA™ Portfolio. We know how to improve existing technologies, never stop developing new ones and continuously look for the best way to combine proven and new components to obtain the best possible outcomes.
In the steps of the product development procedure, clinical tests are conducted and feedback from dental practitioners is gathered to take into account the extreme conditions found in the oral environment. In the past 40 years, this strategy has proven successful, and we are sure it will help us develop many other innovative products that offer ideal support in your striving to improve the oral health of your patients.
Article Published Feb - Mar 2024 Dental Solutions