The Materials · MV · MATERIA · MMXXVI

A catalog of what we use,
and what we will not.

Every material placed in the body of a Marchetti & Vlasov patient is selected, sourced, and recorded. This page is the public version of our internal materials log — the same document each patient receives at the close of their first treatment phase.

Restoration Ceramics Three materials in current rotation

Lithium disilicate

MV·CER·018 Primary use
Sourcing

Ivoclar Vivadent (e.max). Switzerland-manufactured, batch-tracked through our ceramic technician.

Biocompatibility

FDA-cleared, ISO 6872 compliant. Bis-GMA-free. Batch certificates kept in patient file.

When we use it

Posterior inlays and onlays where strength and biocompatibility are jointly required. Single-tooth crowns in the aesthetic zone.

Feldspathic porcelain

MV·CER·022 Selective use
Sourcing

Custom-stacked by our in-house ceramic technician. No commercial pre-fabrication.

Biocompatibility

No metal substructure. Hand-built layer over zirconia core where indicated.

When we use it

Aesthetic anterior restorations where the layered translucency of natural enamel is the clinical requirement.

Leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic

MV·CER·031 Selective use
Sourcing

Pressed by our ceramic technician from Ivoclar IPS Empress ingots.

Biocompatibility

FDA-cleared. Used as a single-component restoration without metal.

When we use it

Conservative anterior veneers and inlays where minimal preparation is the priority.

Implantology Materials Two materials in current rotation

Yttria-stabilised tetragonal zirconia (Y-TZP)

MV·ZIR·004 Primary use
Sourcing

Z-SYSTEMS (Switzerland) and Straumann PURE (Switzerland). Both batches biocompatibility-verified per patient.

Biocompatibility

CE-marked, FDA-cleared. Tested for skin allergy response pre-placement on patients with known metal sensitivities.

When we use it

All implant placements undertaken at the practice. Metal-free by protocol.

Ceramic abutments and screws

MV·ZIR·007 Primary use
Sourcing

Manufactured by the implant systems’ parent companies. No third-party titanium hardware introduced.

Biocompatibility

Ceramic-on-ceramic interface throughout. Biocompatibility maintained across the full restoration.

When we use it

Always paired with the corresponding ceramic implant. We do not mix systems.

Direct Fillings Two materials in current rotation

Composite resin (Bis-GMA-free)

MV·CMP·011 Primary use
Sourcing

Admira Fusion (VOCO Germany) and ENA HRi (Micerium Italy). Both Bis-GMA-free, both batch-tested.

Biocompatibility

BPA-free, Bis-GMA-free. Each new lot tested in our laboratory for material compatibility per IAOMT protocol.

When we use it

All direct restorations where ceramic inlay is not indicated. Class V cervical restorations. Pediatric work for children of practice patients.

Glass ionomer cement

MV·GI·005 Selective use
Sourcing

GC Fuji (Japan). The single glass ionomer system the practice has approved.

Biocompatibility

Fluoride-releasing, no methacrylate monomers, ISO 9917-2 compliant.

When we use it

Sub-gingival liners where biocompatibility and fluoride release are jointly indicated. Selected pediatric work.

Restoration Metals One material in current rotation

Type IV dental gold (Au-Pt-Pd alloy)

MV·AU·002 Selective use
Sourcing

Aurident (USA) and Heraeus Kulzer (Germany). Both ADA-certified Type IV alloys, both verifiable through their batch certificates.

Biocompatibility

Inert. The most enduring restoration material in dentistry — placements documented for over a century with consistent biocompatibility.

When we use it

Posterior inlays where occlusal load and longevity are paramount. The most conservative and most enduring restoration we place.

Type IV gold is the only metal restoration material in regular use at the practice. We do not place nickel-chromium, cobalt-chromium, or amalgam. Metal-ceramic crowns, where they are clinically indicated, use a gold-platinum substructure layered with feldspathic porcelain.

Materials We Will Not Use

And our clinical rationale

Mercury amalgam

Direct filling — refused

Mercury vapour release is documented under occlusal load and during placement and removal. The IAOMT’s published consensus, supported by peer-reviewed literature, treats amalgam as a material whose continued use cannot be justified given biocompatible alternatives. We have not placed amalgam since 2014.

Nickel-chromium and cobalt-chromium alloys

Metal crown substructures — refused

Nickel sensitivity prevalence in adult populations is sufficient to make these alloys clinically inappropriate as default materials. Where metal substructure is clinically required, we use Type IV gold or zirconia.

Bis-GMA-containing composite resins

Direct filling — refused

BPA-derived monomers in composite resin chemistry are well-documented in the dental literature. Bis-GMA-free composites are now widely available and clinically equivalent. We use only Bis-GMA-free composites; we have done so since the practice opened.

Root canals without prior biocompatibility review

Endodontic procedure — conditional refusal

We perform endodontic treatment selectively, after a structured review of biocompatibility, occlusal context, and patient-specific medical history. Root canals are not refused as a category — but they are not the default response to pulpal pathology in our practice.

This list is not ideological. It is the clinical position the practice has arrived at over twelve years of working in this discipline.

The Materials Log

What is in your mouth — and where it came from.

Every Marchetti & Vlasov patient receives a personal materials log at the close of their first treatment phase. The log records, for each restoration: the material category, the manufacturer, the batch number, the placement date, and the principal who placed it. Updates are issued as further work is undertaken.

The log is yours. It travels with you. If you change practices — to ours from elsewhere, or from ours to anywhere — you arrive carrying the document. We believe this is what your medical record should look like; we are surprised that it does not, more often, look like this.

— Issued annually · Updated per visit · Kept in perpetuity