Dr. Dan Butterman, in a new clinical tip from CDOCS, is urging dentists to polish zirconia restorations before sintering to avoid common surface problems and reduce chairside work.
“Zirconia has become a widely popular material, mainly because it’s such a strong, versatile material,” Butterman says in the accompanying video. He explained that polishing after sintering can leave stubborn bur marks and cause unwanted surface effects — such as pearling or opalescence — because the material is already hard.
Butterman recommends trimming and polishing zirconia while it’s still in its soft, pre-sintered state. “The goal is to very quickly remove the sprue and then, in just a matter of a minute or two, remove all the scratch marks, get the material to be very smooth so that after the sintering we have very, very little work to do,” he said.
In his practice, Butterman uses the Misinger polishing kit. He skips the coarse step, finding it too aggressive, and begins with a medium spiral polisher to shape the restoration while avoiding contacts. He follows with a fine spiral polisher to remove remaining bur marks and produce a smooth, even sheen.
For added luster after sintering, Butterman suggests applying a diamond-impregnated polishing paste such as VH Technologies’ DiaShine with a Robinson brush.
The tip is part of CDOCS’ educational content; the video and details about hands-on workshops are available through CDOCS for clinicians seeking practical instruction.