However, Dennis Vasquez doesn’t recommend just any material, for there have been a few that have come and gone after having made the above claims. I know this personally, for Dennis was my first technical contact after I purchased my first practice 28 years ago. I got a lot of great advice from Dennis and experienced a lot of successes. So, I wasn’t surprised to learn that Dennis lead the first technical team in this country to offer Captek to doctors. With over 10 years of experience and countless numbers of Captek crowns and bridges under their belts, Becden is amongst the most qualified labs around to offer Captek as their best solution for PFM esthetics.

Captek is Becden’s answer. It can be managed just like a PFM, but has none of the drawbacks. That is because, unlike other PFMs, Captek is not cast and is comprised only of pure high-noble particles. That means you can treat it like a true PFM and yet achieve esthetics that will consistently rival all-ceramics.

The formulation of Captek was designed to provide a more vital appearance. The unique mix of noble metals imparts a natural warm hue while the rough surface texture scatters light just like dentin and enamel. Even our patients can tell the difference. Harvard University presented a study to the International Association of Dental Research in 2005 on this very subject. Patients requiring a single upper central incisor crown were given a choice of two all-ceramics, a PFM with porcelain butt margin, or a Captek with metal to the edge. They were asked which restoration made their gums look most natural. According to the Harvard study, all patients surveyed chose Captek with metal to the edge…a PFM. But there are long-term implications as well.

The unique combination of pure Pt, Pd, and Au means there is a consistently better fit, no corrosion, and no irritating components. This means that Captek eliminates gingival discoloration, inflammation, and recession. Research at the Forsythe Dental Center found that Captek restored teeth actually have at least 71% less bacterial plaque than non-restored teeth in the same mouth. This supports the long-term esthetic expectations that we would all like to share with our patients, and fits right into Dennis and Becky’s philosophy of suggesting only those materials with proven and predictable long-term results.
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With Captek, as with any PFM, you can use a porcelain butt margin, metal to the edge or metal collar, in any configuration above or below the gum-line, and with any cement. The choices are yours. But regardless of the configuration you choose, with Captek, a PFM, you will always have an easier approach to better esthetics.

But please keep in mind, like all materials, Captek must be properly managed. It is up to us clinicians to provide Becden with the 2 mm of occlusal reduction required for proper strength. This will allow for super-eruption and protects the 1 mm of porcelain thickness that all copings require. Additionally, consider that unlike other PFMs, Capteks fit extremely well. This means that Captek only needs a thin coating of cement, and should be seated slowly to allow the excess cement to be expressed.

Published by BECDEN Dental Laboratory 131 E. 13065 S. Draper, UT 84020 888-344-9991 toll-free 801-576-9991 phone

The editor of this newsletter is Emily Webb of Becden Dental Laboratory, Inc. Please send any questions or comments about this newsletter, or suggestions for articles to: emilyw@becdendental.com ©2006 BECDEN Dental Laboratory, Inc.