Blog Post

January 30, 2020

Benefits of CAD/CAM Dentistry

Benefits of CAD/CAM Dentistry

CAD/CAM dentistry is becoming more and more popular among dental professionals. CAD/CAM technology is an innovative idea made for you to design dental restorations for your patients on a computer screen. It works by capturing the tooth or teeth of your patient through an optical scanner and displaying it in a 3D image. You can then use the 3D custom image to plan and design a dental prosthesis that will fit well and look natural. After designing the desired restoration with the help of CAD software, the crown, bridge or veneer will be milled and customized to look natural and fit your patient before passing it through high temperature (preferably in an oven) and then given a final touch such as polishing.

The use of CAD/CAM technology for dental restorations has numerous advantages over traditional techniques. These advantages include speed, ease of use, and quality.

1. User-Friendly Operation
The majority of CAD/CAM products include software that gently guides the operator through the acquisition and milling process.

For example, Dentsply Sirona explains that the CEREC Omnicam offers user training, and also creates a proposal for the restoration that often requires no modifications at all.

CAD/CAM solutions are designed to be user-friendly and fit easily into any practice.

2. Single-Visit Treatment
Instead of the 2-3 weeks required for traditional impressions, CAD/CAM dentistry gives you the option to complete the process in a single visit. Doctors who own both a scanner and mill can begin processing the restoration immediately.

3. Digital Impressions
CAD/CAM dentistry employs digital scans of a patient’s tooth, so impression material and trays aren’t required. This means patients avoid the discomfort of traditional impressions, and they don’t have to wait as long for the tooth image to be acquired.

4. Improved Patient Safety
Because CAD/CAM technology uses sculpted porcelain, it avoids the use of metal amalgam. This greatly reduces your patients’ exposure to trace levels of mercury.