Minish is a tooth restoration solution. It restores the natural function and aesthetics of damaged teeth by creating restorations using materials most similar to natural teeth and bonding them to the tooth surface.
Minish restorations are produced using precision processing technology, allowing a thickness of up to 0.1mm. Compared to conventional laminates or crowns, they require less tooth reduction, enabling a more conservative approach that can be applied to all teeth, from front to molars.
Precision processing technology also makes it possible to create restorations tailored to the individual curvature of each tooth. This enhances the fit and allows for a more precise bond between the tooth and the Minish restoration. By achieving a perfect marginal seal that leaves no space for bacteria, it minimizes the risk of further damage such as cavities.
Minish is based on the theory of biomimetics. When enamel (the outer layer of the tooth) is damaged, restorations are made with materials similar to enamel, and when dentin is affected, resin most similar to dentin is used to closely restore the original properties of the tooth.
Minish’s bonding process is also unique. It does not simply involve applying adhesive; it is designed to chemically integrate the Minish restoration with the enamel. The principle preventing detachment extends from the enamel down to the dentin. Minish’s bonding technology borrows its concept from the DEJ (dentinoenamel junction), the natural interface between enamel and dentin.
The beautiful smile achieved after Minish treatment is the synergistic effect of restoring damaged or uncomfortable teeth. Minish never sacrifices healthy teeth merely for aesthetics — dental health is the top priority.
Minish stands for Minimal Invasive (minimally invasive, preserving dental health), Natural Image (a natural appearance harmonized with facial features), and Successful Health (achieving healthy teeth and gums). To realize this philosophy, Minish Technology provides comprehensive Minish Solutions, overseeing material development, supply, and restoration production, while treatments are carried out at Minish Members Clinics.
Background of Origin
Director Kang Jung-hoon became aware of the problems caused by the indiscriminate removal of natural teeth in laminate treatments that prioritized aesthetics. In the late 2000s, as side effects such as fractures and cracks from rapid orthodontic procedures using laminates became widely discussed, there was a surge in demand for re-treatment.
Even if the method appeared in dental textbooks, he constantly questioned, “Is it right to shave down healthy teeth just for beauty?” Upholding his philosophy of never performing “treatments that harm teeth” or “treatments I couldn’t recommend to my family,” he became more determined to improve existing treatment methods.
He began searching for alternatives in 2009, initiating research and clinical trials to dramatically reduce the amount of tooth reduction — marking the starting point of Minish. At that time, aesthetic restorations based on minimal reduction were nearly impossible in Korea. Due to the thickness of early Minish restorations, application was limited to front teeth, and molar restorations were not yet feasible. Nevertheless, Dr. Kang was convinced that success required the most precise and skilled craftsmanship in dentistry, so he devoted consistent investment into research, development, and technician training.
However, reducing the thickness of the restorations to the level Dr. Kang envisioned while maintaining strength was not easy. Numerous iterations were made, refining the operation of CAD/CAM milling machines and streamlining the fabrication process among dental technicians. Through repeated manual efforts, progress was achieved in producing restorations more efficiently.
Bonding the restorations to teeth was another major challenge. Thin restorations often broke during bonding, adhesives spread unevenly causing discoloration, or detachment occurred afterward. To overcome these fundamental limitations, research was conducted to strengthen both the physical and chemical bonding properties. By simplifying complex procedures and matching the thermal expansion rates of teeth and restorations, deformation at the bonding surface was minimized — overcoming the anxiety surrounding aesthetic treatments without side effects.
After encountering the theory of biomimetics, Dr. Kang achieved another leap in Minish’s advancement. Based on fundamental research into the composition and structure of teeth, he applied composite materials that mimic the natural bonding principles of fine particles found in the enamel–dentin junction (DEJ), further enhancing the functional design and aesthetics of the teeth. Using materials similar to dentin and biomimetic substances resembling enamel and the DEJ, he established the concept of restoring both the natural function and beauty of real teeth simultaneously.
They also abandoned the conventional belief that harder materials are better and used feldspathic ceramics, which have properties similar to natural teeth. Although the material was fragile and difficult to handle, it became an opportunity to further advance precision processing technology.
As a result, they developed restorations as thin as 0.1mm that perfectly fit the curved surface of teeth and completed an optimal bonding technology. The range of treatments was expanded to include Pink Minish for gum aesthetics, Dual Minish/Minish Bridge to replace crowns, and Molar Minish capable of withstanding three times the biting force of front teeth.
Now, full-mouth reconstruction of both upper and lower teeth using Minish has become possible. The philosophy of prioritizing patients’ best interests, which began in 2009, led to the creation of Minish, inspiring people and increasing the number of doctors trained in its methods. Moving forward, Minish is expected to continue evolving alongside advancements in precision equipment, bonding techniques, and research into biocompatible materials.
Core ① Precision Processing Technology
The uniqueness of Minish lies in its precise processing technology. Because restorations made as thin as 0.1mm bond accurately with teeth, unnecessary tooth reduction is not required. Before making the restoration, only a minimal frame-level trimming is performed—so minimal that anesthesia is often unnecessary.
The Minish fabrication process is divided into milling-machine processing and hand-finishing. Restorations are milled from Minish blocks down to 0.5mm using precision milling machines, then further refined manually by skilled technicians to a thickness of 0.1mm. Over 20 technicians have accumulated experience producing more than 150,000 restorations. The precision and detail achieved in this process are continuously improved through feedback from in-clinic applications, allowing these techniques to be internalized into superior craftsmanship.
For this reason, even clinics that use the latest equipment and employ technicians cannot replicate Minish’s precision processing techniques. Without Minish’s accumulated clinical know-how, they emphasize contradictory concepts such as “non-invasive laminates,” which are technically impossible.
Another reason Minish is so precise is that it does not have a finish line. A finish line is a margin created by shaving part of the tooth to better fit the restoration. Conventional crown and laminate treatments involve creating a groove around the edge of the prepared tooth and fitting the restoration into it with resin.
The problem is that, for the sake of fabrication convenience, even the undamaged parts of the tooth are unnecessarily shaved away. As the process focuses on fitting the restoration to the base of the tooth, achieving a perfectly precise 100% bond with the upper part of the tooth becomes nearly impossible. In addition, because the surface area where the minimum 1mm finish line meets the restoration is wide, it easily becomes a breeding ground for anaerobic bacteria.
Minish has no finish line. Its inner surface is made with such precision that it fits perfectly against the tooth. Producing restorations without a finish line requires the utmost craftsmanship from dental technicians. The seamless collaboration between clinicians and technicians—leaving no margin for error—is what defines Minish treatment.
Core ② Material: Minish Block
The Minish Block is the result of efforts to find a material that closely mimics the properties of natural teeth. It is made from feldspathic ceramics—a material known for its high translucency and similarity to natural enamel.
Among existing ceramic materials, it possesses the physical properties most similar to natural teeth — including biocompatibility, fracture strength, compressive strength, tensile strength, wear resistance, elasticity, translucency, and thermal expansion. Although it was once considered difficult to handle and prone to breakage during fabrication, accumulated manufacturing expertise has now made it possible to work with freely and reliably.
Therefore, teeth restored with Minish Blocks exhibit compressive strength, tensile strength, and elasticity that converge with the natural properties of real teeth. While thicker restorations are governed by the material’s own properties, the thinness of Minish Block restorations allows them to closely mimic the natural characteristics of the tooth.
At first glance, stronger materials might seem preferable for restorations, but in fact, they are the fastest way to damage opposing teeth. When one tooth is harder than the other, it transmits stress to the opposite tooth, causing wear, cracking, and fracture. As an extreme example, when a stone and a piece of wood repeatedly collide, it is always the wood that shatters.
Although this may contradict general dental explanations and public perception, it is a fact. Hard and rigid materials may be easier to manufacture and convenient for dentists and technicians, but they are detrimental to the strength and health of teeth.
In clinical practice, wear resistance is more important than strength. Restored teeth should wear down naturally, just like real teeth, to avoid damaging the opposing ones. The wear resistance of the Minish Block matches over 99% of that of natural teeth.
Minish Technology sources its Minish Blocks from VITA Zahnfabrik, a leading German dental material manufacturer with whom it established a joint production and exclusive supply partnership in 2021. Globally, only two cases exist where a partner’s brand is officially registered as a separate product on proprietary manufacturing lines — VITA’s Minish Block and Dentsply Sirona’s CEREC. In Asia, Minish Block is the only one of its kind.
Core ③ Bonding Technology
Before bonding Minish to the tooth as a single unit, the enamel is first cleaned and refined. Impurities are removed and the enamel surface is smoothed to prepare it for bonding. After thoroughly removing all moisture, adhesive is applied carefully, and the Minish restoration is placed precisely onto the tooth.
The key to precise bonding is to preserve a thin layer of enamel and avoid exposing dentin during minimal tooth reduction. This prevents excess moisture and reduces the risk of bonding failure or detachment. When celebrities occasionally make headlines for having their front laminates fall off, it’s often because too much enamel was removed and the dentin was exposed before bonding the restoration.
The amount of adhesive is also important. If too much is applied, the enamel and the Minish restoration can separate and crack. To use a smaller amount effectively, the fit between the tooth and Minish must be extremely precise. The gap between Minish and the tooth is so fine that it bonds like two glass plates sticking together when a thin layer of water seeps between them.
Inspiration was taken from the DEJ (dentinoenamel junction), a very thin layer that naturally integrates enamel and dentin into a composite structure.
When the adhesive is applied thinly and sparingly — similar to the DEJ’s aqueous layer — it permeates between the Minish restoration and the tooth surface, creating a chemical bond that fuses them into one. Considering that the bond strength between natural enamel and dentin is about 51.5 MPa, the bonding strength between enamel and Minish restorations is nearly identical at approximately 50 MPa.
Scope of Treatment
Minish solutions address not only cavities but also age-related tooth issues such as fractures, wear, erosion, discoloration, and microcracks, as well as irregular tooth alignments including spacing, crowding, and protrusion. Black triangles resulting from orthodontic treatment or periodontal disease also fall within its treatment scope. It can be applied to most dental cases except implants, covering not only front teeth but also damaged molars.
Treatment Process
Feature ① Minimizing Natural Tooth Loss
With Minish treatment, which uses precision processing to create ultra-thin restorations, the enamel that protects your teeth does not need to be unnecessarily removed. Although enamel thickness varies by individual and tooth position (typically 1–5 mm), Minish restorations are made only 0.1–0.2 mm thick, adding a thin layer over the existing enamel to minimize natural tooth loss and preserve dental health.
Since enamel does not regenerate, it should be removed only as much as necessary and preserved as much as possible. The most common side effect of excessive removal is dentin hypersensitivity (sensitive teeth). Many re-treatment cases occur due to this symptom. When old laminates or crowns are removed, the enamel is often found to be thinned near the dentin or completely absent.
Feature ② Applicable to Molars
Reconstructing the entire upper and lower teeth — including incisors, canines, and molars — using restorations is called full-mouth restoration or full-mouth rehabilitation. Conventional full-mouth crown treatments required extensive tooth reduction, long treatment durations, and sometimes root canal therapy, typically taking about 3 to 6 months.
Minish removes only the damaged areas and allows same-day restoration fabrication, making completion possible in as little as three days. This dramatically reduces patient time and discomfort.
When chewing food, the force and pressure applied to molars can be up to three times greater than on front teeth or canines. Some may assume that Minish restorations would break easily under such force, but clinical experience proves otherwise. Thanks to precision fabrication and flawless bonding technology, the restoration becomes an integrated part of the tooth despite its thinness. This is why patients have continued using Minish molar restorations for over seven years.
Patients with extensively damaged molars are typically recommended to receive crown treatment using strong materials. However, as mentioned earlier, such materials can damage opposing teeth. Conventional crown treatment requires shaving down the tooth base to create a finish line for fitting the restoration, resulting in significant tooth loss even if the tooth shape is restored. Minish avoids these side effects and excessive reduction.
Feature ③ Preventive Treatment and Repair of Cracked Teeth
The oral environment that teeth endure is harsh — constantly exposed to moisture, temperature fluctuations, acidity, and chewing pressure. Habits such as teeth grinding, clenching, or improper diet can quickly lead to wear, fractures, and cervical abrasion. Minish is highly effective in addressing these symptoms from the early stages while minimizing natural tooth loss.
Cracks (microfractures) that frequently occur due to eating habits are usually treated with crowns in an attempt to preserve the tooth. However, this often leads to the ironic situation of having to remove a large portion of healthy tooth structure through unnecessary treatment.
Material choice is also an issue. When materials with different properties from natural teeth—such as zirconia, gold, or PFM—are used, they form a mechanical bond rather than a true chemical adhesion, increasing the likelihood of detachment. From this perspective, Minish is the best solution for treating cracked teeth, emphasizing biocompatibility and minimal tooth loss.
Feature ④ Cervical and Gum Health
Conventional prosthetic treatments that place a finish line (prosthetic margin) close to the gums typically leave a space larger than 50 micrometers. This margin area often becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to gingivitis, periodontitis, bleeding, and bad breath.
In contrast, Minish forms a precise bond without a finish line, leaving virtually no space for bacteria to inhabit. As a result, the root causes of gum disease are reduced, and gum health is improved.
It works like attaching a screen protector to a smartphone (damaged tooth) without any gaps — no dust (bacteria) or air can enter. Additionally, the surface around the gumline becomes smooth, preventing bacterial adhesion. This is why even gums that have receded due to previous crown treatments can regain health after Minish treatment.
Feature ⑤ Teeth Whitening
There are two main reasons for tooth discoloration. First, staining of the surface caused by pigmented foods such as coffee, tea, and curry. Second, worn enamel — once translucent — becomes thin due to brushing habits, diet, or teeth grinding, revealing the yellow dentin underneath.
Tooth discoloration can be removed with whitening agents, but yellowing caused by enamel wear must be restored by rebuilding enamel thickness. Minish adjusts tooth color through bonding materials, allowing even thin restorations to match an individual’s skin tone. It approaches tooth whitening not as a flashy brightening treatment, but as a natural anti-aging enhancement.
Feature ⑥ Orthodontic Effect / Occlusal Correction / Dental Reshaping
When it comes to aligning crooked teeth, orthodontic treatment is usually the first thing that comes to mind. However, because it often takes one to two years or more, it involves opportunity costs from frequent dental visits, the risk of secondary cavities caused by interproximal enamel reduction, the discomfort of having brackets attached inside and outside the teeth, and the social discomfort or self-consciousness that may arise during daily life.
For mildly misaligned teeth, Minish can improve color, shape, size, and even bite alignment — all within a single day. However, if extraction-based orthodontics or jaw surgery is required, careful diagnosis and treatment planning are essential. When occlusion is not ideal, Minish can also correct the bite to restore the tooth’s natural function.
Minish can also restore congenital dental anomalies such as enamel hypoplasia, tetracycline discoloration, prolonged retention of primary teeth, and peg-shaped teeth to a normal and healthy form.
