Hello readers!
Today’s issue of cool (dental) technology covers the inevitable reality of what happens when teeth gets damaged, sometimes past the point where a filling will work. You might need a crown, or a bridge, or an inlay. Only problem is getting these restorations normally takes multiple appointments, waiting, and potential nail biting while you wait for your crown to arrive from the lab. However, a CAD/CAM machine is here to make everything better!
CAD/CAM stands for Computer-aided-design and Computer-aided manufacturing (Drzezo, 2016). What this means is that a CAD/CAM machine is actually a series of machines that can scan your teeth, analyse it, and make your crown all in the same appointment. Added to it all is the digital impressions process. If anyone has taken an impression before, then you’ll know that it’s messy, pretty uncomfortable, and sometimes need to be retaken. I assure you our experience on the other side is not much better! The CAD/CAM machine helps with that thanks to its ability to digitally scan the area instead. While it’s got the same limitations on our end of having to isolate the area (Drzezo, 2016). It’s much more comfortable and faster for whoever is sitting in the chair. Thanks to its digital nature, there’s no delay while an impression has to be processed. It can all be done instantly on the computer! (Dentsply Sirona, 2019) That’s all on top of being able to make your crown the day you come into the dental office.
Of course, it’s not all upsides. One of the biggest drawbacks is the cost. For the most popular brand, the CEREC machine, it can cost upwards of $100,000 to get one! That’s quite the price tag! Even if the dentist can earn much more now that the crowns are made in-house, that’s an awful lot of crowns (and restorations) that’ll need to be made! That’s why only about 10% of dentists actually owns a CAD/CAM machine. (Murray, 2012)
So maybe next time you’ve got a broken tooth that needs some serious fixing, maybe it might be a good idea to ask around for a CAD/CAM or CEREC machine? If you’re someone who doesn’t take well to regular impressions, gags a lot, or just want to check out the latest evolution of dental convivence, find a CAD/CAM machine near you!
– Toby Yu
References
Dentsply Sirona. (2019). Primescan. Retrieved May 14, 2019, from Dentsply Sirona: https://lp.dentsplysirona.com/en/primescan.html
Drzezo. (2016, October 29). The Use of CAD/CAM in Dentistry. Retrieved from Pocket Dentistry: https://pocketdentistry.com/the-use-of-cadcam-in-dentistry/
Murray, P. (2012, November 07). New At The Dentist: 3D Printing “Dental Crowns While You Wait”. Retrieved from Singularity Hub: https://singularityhub.com/2012/11/07/new-at-the-dentist-3d-printing-dental-crowns-while-you-wait/
Pearls Of Wisdom 