Material Update: LuxaCrown

I like to keep you updated on materials that I feel can make a difference in your practice, whether they are easier to use, improve esthetics, or are more durable than other products on the market. DMG recently received approval for a “semi-permanent” bisacryl material they are calling LuxaCrown, which meets all three of those criteria.

LuxaCrown is durable. It lasts up to five years, has handling properties like DMG's Luxatemp product, and is easy to fabricate as an indirect provisional or transitional restoration. The material has a mean flexural strength of 109.93 MPa (SD of 4.87), and a mean compression strength of 267.95 MPa (SD 22.27).

Fracture toughness testing parameters were set for 1.2 million mechanical cycles (1.2Hz) at 50N, with simultaneous thermocycling deionized water at 5- and 55-degrees C. The mean fracture toughness of LuxaCrown was 1.27 (0.13 SD) compared to 1.52 for Filteck Supreme Ultra (3M ESPE) and 1.48 for Vita Enamic.

Fracture fatigue was a mean of 1.49 (0.08 SD), compared to 1.29 for Filtek Supreme Ultra and 1.63 for Enamic. Wear loss using a chewing simulator up to 120,000 cycles was 0.29 mm3, compared to 0.33 mm3 for Filtek Supreme Ultra and 0.24 mm3 for Vita Enamic. LuxaCrown has color stability similar to Filtek Supreme Ultra.

LuxaCrown is similar to provisional materials, but because this material lasts up to five years, it is an excellent option for long-term provisionals, transitional restorations for large cases that may need to be phased due to interdisciplinary treatment or because of cost limitations, or when you need a material you can use when fabrication of the patients’ definitive restorations may be months or even years in the future. Since the fabrication process is the same as what you currently use for making your provisionals, anyone can make them in their office without any additional equipment like a milling machine.

I have tested the material for provisional veneer restorations for up to a year, and for a temporary bridge up to six months, with excellent results. The esthetic properties show excellent shade matching to natural teeth.

Based on my experiences, I plan to make LuxaCrown my go-to material for provisional and interim restorations when there are clinical reasons or when the patient needs to extend treatment.

Robert Winter, D.D.S., is a member of Spear Resident Faculty.

References:

1. Sulaiman, T. Mechanical and optical properties of a novel bisacrylic ‘semi-permanent’ restorative material. 2019 Ahead of publication.