Zirconia & Phosphates Don’t Mix

Don’t let phosphates contaminate your zirconia. Phosphates, in the form of phosphilipids, are found in saliva. They are attracted to zirconium oxide and create a reaction that affects ‘bonding’. Phosphilipids cannot be rinsed with water or phosphoric acid, which is actually full of phosphates. Therefore, following a try-in of a zirconia restoration that has contacted saliva, it is recommended that you use a zirconia oxide solution called Ivoclean from Ivoclar. This 20-second process optimizes adhesion by drawing the phosphate groups away from the oxides and leaving a fresh bonding surface for priming and/or cementing.