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The CAD / CAM offers you these advantages in dental technology

CAD/CAM-supported production found its way into dental technology already many years ago. Nevertheless, there are still dentists and laboratories that work analogously.

The CAD/CAM-supported production of dental frameworks offers a number of advantages for your laboratory.

Thanks to CAD / CAM, you can benefit from the entire range of materials that the dental industry currently offers.
Even difficult materials such as titanium or PEEK plastic can be processed without any problems thanks to the latest
CAD/CAM-technology.
You can always rely on consistently good quality.
Sources of error, such as incorrect casting, are a thing of the past.
By saving the data, the structures can also be reproduced at any time.
Save resources by adding more value to your laboratory thanks to CAD / CAM

Despite the multitude of advantages, there are still reasons that prevent laboratories from converting analog into digital processes. On the one hand there are the acquisition costs of the equipment, on the other hand there is the concern that the creativity and thus the individuality of the work will be lost. In our view, both concerns are unfounded. Why? We will go into this in more detail below.

CAD / CAM dental technology with CADdent

CAD / CAM as support for your laboratory

The CAD / CAM production offers support for many process steps in the production of dental frameworks.

From digital impressions at the dentist, through virtual modeling of the frameworks - with the help of CAD (computer aided design) software, to CAM (computer aided manufacturing) supported production using subtractive or additive processes.

"Laboratories do not have to carry out all digital processes themselves and therefore do not have to bear the acquisition costs for the necessary equipment themselves."

It is not necessary for a laboratory to carry out all the steps in the digital process itself. The digital impression has not yet arrived in all dental practices. Manual impressions and thus also the production of models are still necessary. In order to still be able to carry out the further digital process steps, a dental scanner can be used at this point, with the aid of which the plaster models created on the basis of the impression can be scanned.

After this intermediate step, all further digital processes can be carried out as described above.

You don't have a scanner and therefore no CAD software? Then you have the option of sending your model to us and we will do the construction for you.

"Even virtually you can get creative and give your work your own signature."

Are you worried that you will not be able to give your work your typical handwriting in this way? Then simply send us a wax-up with the model. This pre-modeling is also scanned and provides the basis for the design.

But you can not only give the framework your individual signature in conventional production, this is also possible in virtual modeling using CAD software (leading software houses here are 3Shape and Exocad). Because every work is based on the patient's individual oral situation, this also means that shapes from the library can and must even be adapted to the requirements and thus receive their personal touch.

Based on the virtual modeling, stl data are then created. These are transmitted to a CAM software in order to manufacture the framework. There are different procedures for this:

Subtractive methods

Depending on the material, blocks of material are ground into shape or frames are milled from material blanks.

Additive processes

Additive manufacturing has become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to 3D printing. 3D printing is just one of the additive processes; there is also LaserMelting.

While the choice of materials is still limited in additive processes (precious and non-precious metals in the LaserMelting process, as well as resin and corn starch in 3D printing), almost all materials can be processed with subtractive processes.

In some cases, also reworking is already possible today with CAD / CAM support - which is usually a little more time-consuming when manufacturing dental frameworks in an additive process than when manufacturing in a subtractive process.

The finalization and characterization then takes place in the conventional way, even if the CAD/CAM-supported production in dental technology has brought some techniques with it due to its diverse materials, which also simplify these work steps.

OUR CONCLUSION

The individuality and creativity in dental technology are by no means lost through digitization and, through a more targeted use of resources, you save time and money thanks to the digitization of your processes. So do not be afraid to take a further step towards digitization, because patients are also more enlightened than ever by using search engines, they find out about their options and insist on care based on the latest findings and technologies.

We offer support in digitizing your processes

We at CADdent^® are experts in the field of digital dental technology. Are you planning to digitize your processes or to further expand your already digital processes? Regardless of whether it involves the introduction of CAD software, material advice, the use of systems for post-processing or other topics relating to the digitization of your processes - talk to us, our experts will be happy to advise you.