How long have you been using e.max?

I have worked with bonding ceramics for 34yrs; prior to e.max I used EMpress 1 and EMpress 2.

e.max revolutionised the dental industry, mainly due to its strength and versatility. I have been using it since its arrival on the South African scene, and it has added exceptional value both to my practice and to dentistry as a whole!

It seems to require 30yrs for a paradigm shift to occur in dentistry and this has now happened, with bonded ceramics being adopted as the treatment of choice in indirect restorations.  It’s very exciting - especially with e.max!

What do you like most about using the product?

I like the fact that you can use e-max equally well for veneers, inlays, onlays as well as full crowns. So it’s one product for very many different applications. Being able to use the same ceramic throughout allows for conformity of colour and texture which maximises aesthetic outcomes. With e.max offering copings in five different translucency levels each with multiple shades, this allows even more versatility – catering for all needs, no matter the colour of the underlying tooth structure. It’s just like a box of chocolates – sometimes I feel like a chef…. you can pick and choose and create the proper recipe for a particular situation for ultimate perfection!

Also it gives you the option of going monolithic for strength, or a layered technique can be utilized for better aesthetics – incredible flexibility in aesthetics…. Just brilliant!  Bonded ceramics is definitely my preferred choice as opposed to conventional cemented crowns.

What I really like about e.max and bonded ceramics is that it is very strong even in thin layers, ideal for veneers and table top overlays. It’s minimally invasive, as opposed to the traditional methods. With patients getting older and living longer we need to do more minimally invasive treatments and also treatments that help teeth last much longer than before - they need to last a lifetime! The e.max durability is the perfect solution.

Furthermore, depending on the application and design it can be luted with fully adhesive techniques, self-adhesive techniques or conventional cementation techniques. Due to these flexible cementation options we are able to offer reliability and ease of use for the appropriate situation.

And the fact that it is available in the analogue press technique or for the digital CAD Cam applications, is great.

Another positive with ceramic restoration is that it’s EASY to use; it can be prepped with traditional hydrofluoric acid plus silane or the new impressive and convenient, “monobond etch and prime” solution.

It’s EASY to adjust and polish, even intra-orally after cementation, should it be required.

What would you like to share with other dentists about using e.max?

Ultimately what sells it for me after all my years of using e.max in my practice, is the feeling I get when patients who had major restorations done previously, come in for check-ups years down the line and I look in their mouths only to see a perfect dentition with nothing needing to be done. e.max is so durable that it’s almost unnecessary to have wasted their time for a follow up examination, as I can almost predict even before examining them, that everything will be in great shape. Nevertheless it always gives me a kick to be able to give them a clear bill of health…. to say nothing needs to be done today”….Your teeth are perfect! Any problems are usually very minor in the form of a small chip or something similar, which can easily be repaired and polished intraorally to continue the durability and longevity!

Essentially e.max equates to COST EFFECTIVE dentistry…. The return on investment is huge and   long term – very few, problems if any occur down the line – actually it is not only FINANCIALLY cost effective but most importantly is BIOLOGICALLY cost effective – as by using minimally invasive treatment options and keeping the mouth in tip top condition, it maintains overall body health!

Dr Effting graduated at the University of Witwatersrand as the Best All Round Student and is senior dentist and clinical director of Hout Bay Dental Studio in the Western Cape. With nearly 40yrs experience, he has a particular interest in mercury-free, minimally invasive dentistry with wide experience in implantology and in treating patients in a holistic manner. He is a founding member and President of the South African Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry and Fellow of the International Team of Implantology. In his spare time he is a keen sportsman with a particular love of cycling.

Click here for more e.max product info and IVOdeals.