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ePaper created 2014-08-26, 21:44:32 | version 1.30.01
I 03 editorial _ CAD/CAM I CAD/CAM 3_2014 _Digital technologies are everywhere in our daily life. We no longer go to post offices to send letters to our friends; we e-mail them instead. We no longer have walls of CDs or DVDs, but a tiny hard drive containing thousandsofalbumsandmovies.Newspapers,booksandmagazinesareavailableindigitalformatandwestore them in our tablets to take them wherever we go. In this context, dentistry is no exception and the last decade hasseentheriseofthedigitalageindentistry.Asaresult,therangeofdigitalequipmentavailabletodentistshas increasedsignificantly.Newtechnologiesindentistryofferpatientsmoderntreatmentsfortheirdentalproblems. Anincreasingnumberofdentistsandlaboratorytechniciansareadoptingadigitalworkflow,andtheuptake of digital technologies has been more rapid for dental laboratories than dental practices. For many of them, the high cost of equipment, apparently long learning curves, and selecting the most suitable and up-to-date equipmentarestillreasonsforhesitation.Likeallrevolutions,thedigitalrevolutionhasstartedslowlywhilethe technologyhasgrownandmatured. During the last several years, we have seen an increasing number of new intra-oral scanners in the dental market. With these, dentists are able to achieve faster, more accurate digital impression taking, which is more comfortable for patients. Systems rely on a single image and video camera to record the digital file that is the foundationforanaccurateoutcome.Thereisnodoubtthatinthenearfutureintra-oralscannerswillbecheaper, smallerandintegratedintodentalunits. Intra-oral scanners are a wedge technology for in-office CAD/CAM solutions. With the adoption of this technology, dentists will be able to produce same-day single-unit restorations using in-office milling systems. Asthemajorityofrestorationsfabricatedfordentalofficesaresingle-unitrestorationsandthree-unitbridges, in-office milling machines will become increasingly indispensable equipment in dental offices. Therefore, the market for chairside milling will grow at a faster pace than today. New companies are gaining a large share of themarket,whichiscurrentlyledbyCERECandE4D. Chairside milling systems will be the impetus for new millable material. A large spectrum of materials that can be processed via digital options are available. Companies are investing significant amounts in developing newmillablematerials.Eventually,analoguemethodsandmaterialswillbereplacedbyfullydigitalworkflows. Dental laboratories have been quick to make the transition from analogue to digital. They will be a valuable resource for dentists, offering immediate restoration to dental practices in close proximity. Nothing can take theplaceofadentaltechnicianandadentistworkingtogethertomanufacturehighqualityrestorations;there isstillnoreplacementforskilledprofessionalhandworkonthehorizon. In this decade, dental CAD/CAM has reached a very high level of development. According to forecasts, more than 50 per cent of dental services will be performed using CAD/CAM technology by 2050. This figure demonstrates the importance of keeping pace with this fast moving technology. As the leading companies in dentistryareinvestinginthisarea,wewouldbewisetoinvestigateitforourfuture. IcansaywithoutquestionthattheageofCAD/CAMdentistryishere.Itistimetobepartofit. Prof. Selim Pamuk Founder of the Society of Digital Dentistry in Turkey President of the Turkish Academy of Esthetic Dentistry Prof. Selim Pamuk Current state of CAD/CAM in dentistry CAD0314_03_Editorial 22.08.14 13:32 Seite 1