KATANA™ Zirconia: Multiple Material Variants

Not every restoration requires the same zirconia properties. Therefore, KATANA™ Zirconia consists of various material variants, each with its own combination of translucency, color, strength, and indications.

An important feature of various KATANA™ Zirconia discs is the multilayer structure. Through different layers with a gradual transition in color and translucency, a more natural progression of the material is created. This allows an aesthetic result to be achieved in monolithic restorations without every restoration having to be built up entirely with veneer material.

The different variants within the range are therefore not simply alternatives to one another. The choice depends on the indication, the desired aesthetics, the required mechanical properties, and the chosen CAD/CAM workflow.

Natural Color and Translucency

One of the key considerations regarding modern zirconia is the balance between mechanical properties and optics. A high-strength material does not automatically have the same translucency as a material primarily chosen for highly aesthetic restorations.

KATANA™ Zirconia utilizes multilayer technology where color and translucency transition across the height of the disc. The different layers are designed to better match the optical properties of natural teeth, from the more translucent incisal region to the more saturated body.

This makes the material choice attractive for laboratories that are increasingly working with monolithic or minimally built-up zirconia restorations.

For digital dental technology

KATANA™ Zirconia has been developed for use within a digital CAD/CAM workflow. The material can be designed in the CAD software used, subsequently milled, and then processed according to the prescribed sintering program.

The correct choice of disc is important in this regard. Not only color and translucency play a role, but also the desired indication, minimum wall thickness, strength, and available sintering workflow. Kuraray Noritake offers various multilayer zirconia materials within the KATANA™ family. For instance, there are variants focused on a combination of high translucency and aesthetics, as well as materials where higher mechanical strength is the primary focus.

Katana zirconia is supplied in various formats, such as blocks and slabs, with the slabs further subdivided into KATANA™ Zirconia HTML PLUS, STML, UTML, and YML.