Initial IQ SQIN Shades – Universal Ceramic Stains & Glazes by GC
Référence: H42933
Initial IQ SQIN Shades – Universal stains and glazes for ceramics
- – Initial IQ SQIN Shades = ceramic stains / powders for the IQ ONE SQIN concept.
- – Sold as individual refills (Body, Enamel, Gum, TO-Booster + liquid).
- – A complete Initial IQ SQIN System kit is also available for overall customization of ceramic work: see the IQ SQIN System kit.
GC Initial IQ ONE SQIN concept
GC Initial IQ ONE SQIN is a paintable color-and-shape ceramic concept for the aesthetic realization of monolithic and minimally reduced frameworks made of zirconium dioxide or lithium disilicate.
It allows you to obtain high aesthetic results quickly and easily, comparable to conventional layered restorations but with significant time savings, both posterior and anterior.
The GC Initial IQ ONE SQIN system is based on the GC Initial “IQ philosophy” and consists of various perfectly matched ceramic materials.
Initial IQ SQIN – Key advantages at a glance
- Universal shade system for most GC Initial ceramics.
- Allows external staining, micro-layering and glazing.
- Fine control of value, chroma and translucency for teeth and gingiva.
- Compatible with modern monolithic zirconia and LiSi workflows.
- Ideal for fast, reproducible 3D aesthetic results.
For which materials should you use Initial IQ ONE SQIN?
- Monolithic or layered zirconia (sintered Zr discs).
- Lithium disilicate (GC Initial LiSi / LiSi Press, LiSi CAD/CAM blocks).
- Feldspathic ceramics and GC Initial ranges (MC, LF, Zr-FS, PC, etc.).
- Sintered restorations on metal or on titanium, within the recommended CTE window.
- Indications: crowns, bridges, veneers, implant cases with ceramic gingiva.
Initial IQ SQIN Shades range
- Body Shades: Body A, B, C, D, BL-D to adjust dentin and value.
- Enamel Shades: E57, E58, E59, E60, BL-E for incisal effects and translucency.
- TO-Booster: enhances opalescence and halos on incisal edges.
- Gum Shades: Gum light, Gum dark, Neutral gum for gingival tissues.
- Form & Texture Liquid: allows fine modeling and controlled texture.
Initial IQ ONE SQIN – Ideal for the lab
- Simplifies stock: a few well-chosen powders cover numerous cases.
- Integrates both in a full contour workflow and in more classical layering.
- Enables the creation of standardized, reproducible in-house protocols.
- Compatible with GC Spectrum Stains and Lustre Pastes ONE.
- Time saving without sacrificing detail precision or aesthetic complexity.
Initial IQ SQIN tutorial videos
GC Initial IQ ONE SQIN, Micro layering a buccally reduced zirconia bridge on implants.
GC Initial IQ ONE SQIN, Micro layering a buccally reduced anterior bridge.
GC Initial IQ ONE SQIN, Painting a monolithic with Lustre Pastes ONE.
Characterization of a posterior crown with Initial IQ ONE SQIN in a two step technique.
Characterization of your anterior bridge with Initial IQ ONE SQIN in a two-step technique.
Characterization of your implant supported anterior bridge: Initial IQ ONE SQIN three step technique.
Characterization of your implant supported anterior bridge: Initial IQ ONE SQIN (two step technique).
Initial IQ ONE SQIN – Detailed instructions for use – lab steps
1. Surface preparation
- Finish all mechanical adjustments: occlusion, contact points, emergence profiles and finishing.
- Sandblast the ceramic surface in accordance with the recommendations of the underlying material (often Al2O3 50 µm at low pressure).
- Clean with steam or in an ultrasonic bath to remove dust, polishing agents and any grease.
- Dry thoroughly to ensure optimal wettability of IQ SQIN Shades over the entire surface.
2. Mixing the shades
- Take a small amount of Body, Enamel or Gum powder into a clean, dry pot.
- Gradually add the SQIN Form & Texture liquid until you obtain the desired viscosity.
- Aim for a rather fluid consistency for color washes and large areas, more pasty for fine details.
- Work with small volumes of mixture to keep the application fresh, stable and predictable.
3. Application on the ceramic
- Use a fine brush to apply the shades in thin, even layers, avoiding excessive thickness.
- Start with the structural zones (necks, mamelons, cervical areas, dentin/enamel gradients).
- Then add the incisal effects (Enamel, TO-Booster) and value corrections according to the desired result.
- For Gum shades, superimpose thin layers in order to blend the visible gingival tones harmoniously.
4. Glaze firing
- Place the restoration on the appropriate firing support (pin, tray or stabilized ceramic fiber).
- Run the glaze program recommended for the underlying ceramic (LiSi, Zr-FS, MC, etc.).
- Strictly follow the drying times, heating rate and final plateau temperature recommended by GC.
- Allow to cool in a controlled way before any further sandblasting, polishing or occlusal adjustment.
Firing parameters – guidelines
- IQ SQIN Shades follow the glaze window of the underlying ceramic.
- Typical examples:
- LiSi / LiSi Press: start ≈ 450 °C, plateau ≈ 730–760 °C.
- Zr-FS / layered zirconia: start ≈ 480 °C, plateau ≈ 790–810 °C.
- MC metal-ceramic: start ≈ 480 °C, plateau ≈ 860–880 °C.
- Always check the material’s instructions for fine-tuning the plateau and holding time.
- Carry out a few test pieces whenever changing the furnace or the firing program.
Packaging & lab logistics
- Individual refills: ideal when you only need to replace the shades that are actually used up.
- Sealed GC packaging with clearly readable shade labels for simple organization.
- Product intended for professional use in a dental laboratory.
- Recommended: document your internal “recipes” (Body / Enamel / Gum) for perfect reproducibility.
Delivery
Delivery of Initial IQ SQIN Shades stains – shades of your choice depending on available references.
FAQ
What is the difference between Initial IQ SQIN Shades and the Initial IQ SQIN System kit?
Initial IQ SQIN Shades include the individual powders for dentin, enamel, gingiva and the TO-Booster used for staining and micro-layering within the SQIN concept.
These items are offered as separate refills so you can easily top up or maintain your stock without having to purchase a complete kit again.
The Initial IQ SQIN System kit, on the other hand, combines in a single set a selection of shades, liquids and detailed documentation, in order to implement the IQ ONE SQIN method as a turnkey solution in the lab.
You can therefore regard SQIN Shades as the “raw material” for color and texture, while the System kit provides a comprehensive ready-to-use solution to structure and standardize this approach within your organization.
How can I organize SQIN Shades in the lab to work quickly and remain reproducible?
To improve efficiency, it is ideal to organize your Initial IQ SQIN Shades by functional families, for example one compartment for Body (A, B, C, D, BL-D), one for Enamel (E57, E58, E59, E60, BL-E), one for Gum and a last one for TO-Booster and the Form & Texture liquid.
Many laboratories also create internal “recipe” sheets listing the shade combinations used for their standard cases, such as posterior bridges, monolithic anteriors or implant restorations with ceramic gingiva.
By systematically photographing restorations before and after glazing and noting the IQ SQIN shades used, you gradually build a very useful in-house shade guide, which allows all technicians to achieve consistent results even when several people work on similar indications.
This visual and written organization reduces the number of trial-and-error attempts, secures the reproducibility of complex cases and makes it easier to integrate new team members into the lab’s aesthetic workflow.
Do I need to adjust my usual firing curves when using Initial IQ SQIN Shades?
In most situations, you do not need to fundamentally change your firing curves if they are already optimized for GC Initial ceramics, because IQ SQIN Shades are fired within the glaze window of the underlying material.
However, it remains essential to respect the recommended starting temperatures, drying times and heating rates specified by GC, especially on zirconia and lithium disilicate, where these parameters directly influence translucency, gloss and dimensional stability.
Whenever you change furnace, update a program or introduce a new material, it is always wise to carry out a few test firings on sample pieces to verify layer adhesion, absence of cracks and surface appearance before finally validating a protocol for daily production.
This internal validation step secures your aesthetic results, reduces the risk of costly remakes and allows you to document a reference firing curve tailored to your equipment and working environment.