What 3M Lava zirconia is
3M Lava is the CAD/CAM zirconia range from 3M Oral Care. Since April 2024 the 3M dental business has operated as Solventum, so newer documents carry the Solventum name, but the Lava brand and its product lines are unchanged. The two Lava lines on this page serve different purposes:
- 3M Lava Esthetic: a high-translucency full-contour zirconia with a built-in shade gradient and built-in fluorescence, for crowns and short bridges that need esthetics close to glass ceramics.
- 3M Lava Plus: a high-translucency zirconia with higher strength, used for full-contour restorations and for layered frameworks, long-span bridges and cases with limited space.
Lava Esthetic: fluorescent full-contour zirconia
According to the 3M brochure, Lava Esthetic is the first zirconia with inherent tooth-like fluorescence in all shades. The fluorescence is built into the material rather than applied as a coating, so restorations look natural in daylight, sunlight or UV light. The built-in shade gradient is designed to match VITA Classical shades without dipping or colouring.
- 800 MPa flexural strength (3-point bending, ISO 6872:2015), stronger than glass ceramics.
- Minimum wall thickness 0.8 mm with a chamfer preparation, thinner than is usually required for IPS e.max.
- Connector cross-section of at least 12 mm² anterior and 14 mm² posterior.
- Indications: single crowns, 3-unit bridges (one pontic between two crowns), inlays, onlays and veneers.
- Antagonist-friendly: a 2016 University of Alabama at Birmingham report to 3M found low wear of the opposing enamel for both glazed and polished crowns.
Lava Plus: high translucency, strength for longer bridges
Lava Plus has a flexural strength above 1,100 MPa and allows walls as thin as 0.5 mm, which makes it the choice for limited space and multi-unit bridges. Its shading system matches the 16 VITA Classical shades A1–D4 plus bleach shades and converts to VITA 3D-MASTER. The same material can be used for full-contour restorations or as a framework for traditional layering, in both the anterior and posterior region. Bridge span limits, implant bridges and cantilevers are listed in the specification tab below, following the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
Lava Esthetic or Lava Plus?
- Single crowns and 3-unit bridges in the esthetic zone on natural-coloured preparations: Lava Esthetic. Built-in fluorescence and the built-in shade gradient give a natural result without layering.
- Bridges of 4 units or more, implant bridges, cantilevers: Lava Plus, because Lava Esthetic is indicated only up to 3-unit bridges.
- Very limited space or bruxing and clenching patients: 3M recommends Lava Plus.
- Cases that need layered porcelain for individual incisal effects: a layered Lava Plus framework.
Lava Esthetic is a zirconia with about 5 mol% yttria and Lava Plus about 3 mol%. The difference between those two groups is explained in 3Y-TZP vs 5Y-PSZ zirconia.
Adjustment and cementation
- Try-in and adjustment: seat the crown gently without force. Adjust with a fine-grain diamond bur under water cooling, then re-polish the adjusted area. With Lava Esthetic, keep a minimum wall thickness of 0.8 mm after adjustment.
- Cementing Lava Esthetic: 3M recommends RelyX Unicem 2 Automix self-adhesive resin cement, with no etching or priming needed.
- Cementing Lava Plus: a self-adhesive resin cement (RelyX Unicem 2) or an adhesive resin cement (RelyX Ultimate with Scotchbond Universal).
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use for the full cementation procedure.
Ordering Lava restorations from Khai Nguyen
We accept intraoral scans or impressions, design in CAD and mill the Lava blank. Zirconia crowns and bridges take 2–4 working days; zirconia restorations on implants take 3–4.5 working days depending on the number of units, plus DHL Express shipping of 2–4 days. With the case, please state the Lava line (Esthetic or Plus), the VITA shade, the stump shade if the preparation is discoloured, and shade photos if available. If you are unsure which line to choose, describe the clinical indication and the lab will advise.
Case example: implant at tooth 11 with a custom hybrid abutment and a Lava zirconia crown in A2. See how Lava compares with other zirconia blanks in our dental ceramic materials comparison.
To discuss a specific case, please contact Khai Nguyen or send it through our ordering process.
Technical values come from the 3M Lava Esthetic brochure, the Lava Plus High Translucency Zirconia brochure and the official 3M documents listed in the sources below. This page is written for dentists and dental technicians. Khai Nguyen Dental Lab fabricates restorations only on professional prescription and does not sell directly to patients.
