Aesthetics at the International Dental Show (IDS) 2017: Ceramic innovations inspire

People, who have beautiful eyes and lovely teeth, are beautiful. Because that is what the eye of the onlooker perceives first. The proportions have to be right and form a harmonious whole. As far as teeth are concerned, the dental industry has created a host of innovative methods and products over the past decades, which narrow the gap more and more between a high ideal and the achievable reality. These include modern diagnosis and therapy options (i.e. face scanners, backward planning implantology, controlled tissue generation) and in particular ceramic materials. The trade fair visitor can gain a comprehensive overview at the International Dental Show in Cologne, from 21 to 25 March 2017.

New materials

It goes without saying that ceramics are predestined for use in dentistry because of their white basic colouring. They have been playing an outstanding role as veneering materials for decades and they have increasingly been establishing themselves as framework material for around twenty years. Zirconium oxide, lithium disilicate, zirconium oxide reinforced lithium disilicate - a whole row of options are available today depending on the individual indication.

How far these indications range in detail remains to be an exciting question. For example, to what extent can zirconium oxide reinforced lithium silicate be used for bridges? Or a single implant from the (artificial) root to the crown be made out of zirconium oxide? In which cases can hybrid ceramics be used as a possible alternative? The visitors will find straightforward answers at IDS 2017.

New possibilities for aesthetic perfection

With a veneer that matches the colour of the patient's teeth, a restoration is (almost) as identical to the natural teeth as two peas in a peapod. The most striking development, however, is that attractive aesthetics can also be achieved in many cases without using veneer. This saves time and enables a level of work efficiency that was previously not known.

After translucent material options have factually asserted themselves for zirconium oxide, dyed blanks have now created a new impetus particularly in the production area. Today, they can cover the entire common shades which in turn renders the veneer superfluous in many cases or makes the process simpler and faster. Coherent ceramic systems aid the classic layer technique here. In the case of non-veneered zirconium oxide frameworks the individual characterisation is achieved with the aid of staining systems. A ceramic infiltration of zirconium oxide frameworks with suitable staining fluids is basically an interesting option too. And certain hybrid ceramics can simply be polished or characterised using a light-curing method. Irrespective of this, there are no restrictions: Ultimately there is no limit to the individual design options using the ceramic layer technique.

However, frequently many roads lead to Rome, in terms of the patient-friendly aesthetic design. The dentist and dental technician have to select the most efficient and most economic option.

New options for the economic production of aesthetic restorations

Several aesthetic and at the same time economic solutions are available to the laboratory and dental practice. For example an effective measure is furnishing one's own room for shade matching. Extended diagnostics including the simulation of the prosthetic final results with face scanners in the practice are further supportive measures. Digitalised data allows the information gained to be passed on to the laboratory.

The modern technology particularly facilitates the planning of implants and the safe definition of the best position for the artificial tooth root with a view to the most attractive prosthetic restoration ultimately also improves the aesthetic aspect and the work efficiency. This also includes of course the selection of the ideal production process. For example, in the meantime three-unit zirconium oxide bridges can be produced chairside. Labside among others the super-fast "speed production" of this material and the multi-layer technique (bonded CAD/CAM produced veneer) are very convincing. The latest development is 3D printing which once again exploits new materials, namely high-performance plastics (i.e. PEEK).

The dental industry will be demonstrating the potential the highly emotional theme "Aesthetics" offers at the International Dental Show (IDS) 2017 in Cologne. Here the manufacturers will be presenting their latest developments. Dental technicians and dentists can discover innovations and everyone has the opportunity to profit from the knowledge exchange - ideally while doing a joint tour round the fair. It is going to be especially interesting because products and methods will be presented live, examined and tangibly comprehended at IDS. Their actual benefit for the users will thus become directly clear. This will enable dentists and dental technicians to make future-proof investment decisions for their own businesses.

"Aesthetic dentistry will be a key theme at the next International Dental Show - not for the first time, but for the first time with such a depth of materials and methods. This suits the needs of the modern patient, because he expects both from his dentist and dental technician: functional and aesthetic, perfect restorations," explained Dr. Martin Rickert, Chairman of the VDDI (Association of the German Dental Manufacturers).

The IDS (International Dental Show) takes place in Cologne every two years and is organised by the GFDI Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH, the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI). It is staged by the Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne.

100 years of VDDI

The VDDI is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016. It was founded as the Association of German Dental Manufacturers on 24 June 1916 and organised the first Dental Show in 1923. In 1928 the VDDF organised the first International Dental Show. Today the VDDI has 200 member companies with 20,000 employees. The overall turnover is more than Euro 5 billion with an export share of 62 percent.