In the latest installment of his Just a Minute, Doc series, Dr. Tom Giacobbi spoke with Dr. Juergen Langenbach of San Diego, California, about his experience testing the Katana Zirconia One For Implant, a new product from Kuraray Noritake Dental.
Dr. Giacobbi opened the conversation by asking Dr. Langenbach what excited him most about the product.
“Getting my hands on it was the most exciting part,” Dr. Langenbach said. “I already use Zirconia One and Zirconia One Speed in my practice, which are among the best materials for zirconia crowns. Adding an implant solution was a natural next step.”
When asked about compatibility, Dr. Langenbach noted that the blocks are currently available for Straumann, 3i Biomet, Zimmer, and Nobel Biocare implant systems, covering a wide range of commonly used platforms.
Dr. Giacobbi then asked about the speed of production. Dr. Langenbach emphasized that quick turnaround is crucial for patients. “It’s not age-related. I had an 80-year-old patient who insisted on receiving his crown immediately after integration tests,” he explained. “Thanks to this new system, we can now produce implant crowns in a single visit. From scanning to delivery, the process takes just over 90 minutes.”
He added that this is a major improvement compared to older methods, which required long sintering times—sometimes 40 minutes or more. “This is completely different,” Dr. Langenbach said. “It allows us to treat patients efficiently without compromising quality.”
Dr. Giacobbi concluded the interview by thanking Dr. Langenbach for sharing his insights.