Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. commenced operations following the integration of Kuraray Medical Inc., Noritake Dental Supply Co., Limited and Kuraray Noritake Dental Holdings Inc. on April 1, 2012. This merger was undertaken in accordance with a basic agreement between Kuraray Co., Ltd. and Noritake Co., Limited to integrate dental materials businesses of their subsidiaries, which was announced on January 28, 2011.
Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. will promote the development of materials that possess new functions by integrating technologies cultivated by Kuraray Medical Inc. in the area of organic dental materials (including bonding agents, fillings and facing resin) and Noritake Dental Supply Co., Limited in the area of inorganic dental materials (including ceramics for crowns and plaster).
In addition, Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. will expand beyond the domestic market as it accelerates global business expansion with the aim of advancing dentistry both in Japan and overseas.
Overview of Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.
| Company name | Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. |
| Establishment | April 1, 2012 |
| Head Office | 1-1-3, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo |
| Representative | Sadaaki Matsuyama |
| Paid-in capital | ¥300 million |
| Investment ratio | Kuraray Co., Ltd.: 66.7%
Noritake Co., Limited: 33.3% |
| Number of employees | 386 |
Principal businesses
(core products) | Development, production and sale of dental bonding agents, fillings, facing resin for crowns and bridges, ceramics for crowns, dental plaster, CAD/CAM devices, etc. |
Background of Integration
| January 28, 2011 | Kuraray Co., Ltd. and Noritake Co., Limited conclude a basic agreement on the integration of their subsidiaries’ dental materials businesses. |
| April 13, 2011 | Kuraray Co., Ltd. and Noritake Co., Limited jointly finance and establish Kuraray Noritake Dental Holdings Inc. Kuraray Medical Inc. and Noritake Dental Supply Co., Limited become wholly owned subsidiaries of Kuraray Noritake Dental Holdings Inc. |
| April 1, 2012 | Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc. is launched through the integration of Kuraray Medical Inc., Noritake Dental Supply Co., Limited and Kuraray Noritake Dental Holdings Inc. |
Reference
| Kuraray Dental Business | Noritake Dental Business |
- In January, 1978, Kuraray introduced its first dental material product, CLEARFIL BOND SYSTEM F (adhesive bonding and filling set for treating cavities).
- Since then, CLEARFIL has become a mainstay brand, expanding into such areas as cavity treatment and aesthetic restoration（*1） centered on filling composite resins, bonding agents and cement.
- Such Kuraray products boast the top share of the domestic market for bonding agents and fillings, having received high ratings for quality from dentists and academics.
- *1 Aesthetic restoration: Restoration treatments that replicate the appearance of natural, beautiful teeth
 Examples of CLEARFIL products
| - Applying plaster technology developed from ceramic production, Noritake commenced sales of dental plaster and investment materials in 1939.
- Noritake introduced SUPER PORCELAIN AAA (porcelain for metal framework restorations) in 1987, making a full-fledged entry into the dental material market.
- Noritake is currently contributing to the field of dentistry by providing such dental materials as ceramics for crowns (dental ceramics, CAD/CAM systems), dental plaster/investment materials and metals.
 Examples of zirconia ceramic products
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- Composite resins
- Composite resins are produced by mixing specialty glass that has been pulverized into a fine powder with resin. This mixture enables restoration work that duplicates the natural appearance of teeth.
- Bonding agents
- Blended with its proprietary adhesive monomer, Kuraray bonding agents are insusceptible to waterborne organisms and realize superior adhesive durability.
- Cement
- As with Kuraray bonding agents, cement is blended with the Company’s proprietary adhesive monomer to solidly bond large-sized dental restoration materials to teeth.
- In recent years it has become mainstream in dental care to avoid removing natural teeth whenever possible, maximize the use of natural teeth and undertake aesthetic restoration that recreates as closely as possible to the appearance of natural teeth.
- The CLEARFIL series of bonding agents and fillers enables aesthetic restoration that is similar to the color of natural teeth since only areas affected by cavities are removed.
- Since the introduction of CLEARFIL, plastic-based composite resins have rapidly replaced conventional alloy fillings, known as amalgams, in the area of dental restoration technology.
| - Dental ceramics
- Dental ceramics are mounted on and fused to a frame (base) surface layer structure made mainly from metal and zirconia. These ceramics are available in hundreds of shades, which dental technicians use to complete artificial teeth that match those of natural teeth as they perform the mounting and calcinations processes. Noritake dental materials presently enjoy high ratings worldwide, particularly regarding mainstream porcelain used in metal framework restorations, owing to ceramics that are compatible with frames made from aluminum and the new-generation material, zirconia. Noritake commands a leading share of the domestic market and sells dental materials to approximately 90 countries worldwide.
- Zirconia frame business (CAD/CAM systems)
- Zirconia frames feature superior biocompatibility, aesthetic qualities and strength thanks to replacing metal with high-strength ceramic zirconia. In addition to manufacturing and selling zirconia frames, Noritake develops and markets CAD/CAM systems.
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