VITA LUMEX AC in implant prosthetics: veneering ceramic harmony on widespan titanium frameworks

Dental Technician Tamer Al Haddad
Al Ain, UAE

After graduating as a dental technician from Al-Baath University (Homs, Syria) in 2007, Tamer Al Haddad acquired nine years of experience in various laboratories at home and abroad. The laboratory manager and dental technician is passionate about harmonizing shape, texture, shade effect and function in his daily dental work. It is no wonder that his laboratory, which opened in Al Ain (UAE) in 2016, bears the name Harmonic Dental Lab and is successful at home and abroad: Tamer Al Haddad now supplies 30 clinics with his high-quality dentures.

In order to create harmonious dentures, the laboratory owner is always looking for the right combination of materials that can be used safely and economically. This is how he discovered the veneering ceramic VITA LUMEX AC. The AC stands for All Ceramics, which means it can be used universally on all common ceramic frameworks. However, the veneering ceramic also looks great on titanium frameworks, which Tamer Al Haddad reports on in the following interview.

Why do you use titanium frameworks veneered with VITA LUMEX AC as the superstructure for the all-on-four concept?

Titanium has a key advantage: Despite its lightness, it is very stable compared to other framework materials. Based on that it was a strategic decision in favor of less weight. plus reliable stability. In addition, titanium also possesses outstanding biocompatibility and is therefore intrinsically tissue-friendly. This is a real benefit, particularly in implantology. In combination with VITA LUMEX AC, we can benefit from all of this without making any compromises, in terms of esthetics.

Due to the outstanding bond of VITA LUMEX AC directly to the titanium framework, the overall construction is low in weight.

What advantages does the veneering ceramic VITA LUMEX AC offer, especially on such a widespan framework structure?

With VITA LUMEX AC, we can start veneering immediately without having to do any preconditioning or pretreatments with other materials. Due to the excellent bond of the veneering ceramic directly to the titanium framework, the overall construction can ultimately benefit from the thin layers and the low weight of the titanium. There are no cracks or gaps despite the large veneering surface. The firing stability allows the desired morphology to develop quickly.

Widespan superstructure with veneered titanium framework on six implants.

Despite the large veneering surface, there are no cracks or gaps with VITA LUMEX AC.

Are firing and shade stability requirements for a successful restoration? What has your experience been with VITA LUMEX AC here?

Actually, an experienced ceramist only has to follow the instructions for use to create convincing restorations right away. The morphological results were absolutely stable after all firings. This reproducibility is what makes working with VITA LUMEX AC so userfriendly. You can rely on both the desired shape and the precise shade in the VITA shade standards. As a result, it is the material of choice for dental technicians with less experience.

The lifelike and highly esthetic veneering result with VITA LUMEX AC.

How has VITA LUMEX AC changed the work process in general? What advantages does the veneering ceramic offer for beginners?

With VITA LUMEX AC, the workflow has become much more efficient, especially for widespan work on four or six implants. Overall, the working time for layering, finishing and polishing has been significantly reduced, thanks to firing stability, thin layers and ceramic homogeneity. The predictability of the firing results also makes it easier to plan delivery of the dentures. Beginners in particular benefit greatly from the reliability and easy handling of VITA LUMEX AC.

VITA LUMEX AC makes efficient veneering possible with shade- and firing-stable results.

What has been your experience so far with this implant prosthetic form of restoration? What kind of feedback have you received from your clients?

Our experiences with VITA LUMEX AC have been consistently positive for a year now and we are completely satisfied with the handling in the laboratory and with the feedback from our clients. Especially when it comes to implant prosthetics, the veneering ceramic in combination with titanium frameworks has made our work much more predictable, reproducible and productive. The advantages of veneering ceramics comes into play particularly with widespan frameworks.

Dental Technician Tamer Al Haddad at work in his Harmonic Dental Laboratory in Al Ain, UAE.

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