CAD-CAM IN DENTISTRY: WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK? Carp Implant Bridge Kanata

CAD CAM IN DENTISTRY: WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Find out more about this system that has made it easier to fabricate quality crowns and dentures.

 

Dentists, as well as lab techs within the dental laboratory, are the artists behind the creation of dental prostheses (best option for missing teeth). The process of fabricating dental prosthetics is intricate and detailed, involving microscopic work with a variety of materials. Dental prosthetics have always been in high demand. The accuracy and quality of these prostheses play a big role in restoring aesthetics and function of patient’s teeth. Among the various innovations that have sought to simplify the fabrication process, there is one that has long been present in the field of engineering: CAD CAM technology.

CAD / CAM technology allows the construction of dental prostheses and prosthetic parts (crowns, dentures, bridges) more simply and economically than the traditional method, resulting in products that are effectively adapted to the mouth of each patient.

WHAT IS CAD CAM?

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CAD / CAM technology is a computer design and capture system, that has been used since the seventies. It is quite a sophisticated system that facilitates the process of creating custom, quality prostheses (dentures) that are accurately adapted to each patient and their teeth.

As its name implies, this software is divided into two components: CAD (Computer-Aided Design), referring to the capture and design of the prosthetic piece, and CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) which refers to the manufacturing process of the prosthesis by the milling machine. Using this combined method, dental professionals are able to construct ceramic crowns, mouthguards, implant bridges, dentures and other prosthetic pieces in a simpler, faster and more accurate way.

WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN CAD CAM?

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In the first phase (CAD), the teeth are scanned directly from the patient’s mouth with a digital 3D camera. The file is then transmitted to the computer. From the captured images within this file, a 3D virtual model is created from which new prosthetic restorations are designed and then subsequently milled (replacing missing teeth).

Scanning

The scanning process of the patient’s mouth replaces the old, traditional method of having to take putty moulds of the patient’s mouth (best option for missing teeth, loose dentures, etc.). These would often be uncomfortable, time consuming and messy. The process would have to be done for the upper arch and the lower arch, and if there were distortions or deficiencies, the impressions would have to be repeated! This is not the case with scanning. If the mouth is scanned correctly, there is rarely an issue… and if there are any discrepancies with the scanning/imaging process, then we simply scan again. No fuss, no mess!

Design

Choosing or determining how the restoration of the teeth will look is the next step. The Artificial Intelligence software within the system has a library of several teeth designs that can serve as an initial base for the patient’s tooth restoration.

Successive analysis and adjustments – Adjustments are then made to the design of the tooth to be milled. The adjustments made can change aspects such as dimensions, contour and overall shape of the tooth. In addition, the thickness and height necessary for the proper functioning of the tooth are also taken into consideration, in order to provide a comfortable bite and correct dental occlusion.

Milling

The last phase (CAM) is, to put it simply, the transformation of the virtual image produced by the CAD software into a tangible material. Through automated, high precision cuts, made by a milling machine using the chosen raw material, the system then produces the final result customized for each patient.

CAD CAM technology is a system capable of producing high-quality prosthetic solutions, which can simplify the process for dentists and labs. However, it is equally important to monitor all procedures carefully and to control quality at each stage. The technique is highly accurate and dependable, eliminating errors in the fabrication process through digitization technology.

CAD / CAM TECHNOLOGY FACILITATES MANY DENTAL TREATMENTS

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Many types of materials can be used with this technology. CAD/CAM can facilitate the creation of acrylic dentures, zirconia-ceramic crowns, gold crowns, implant crowns (dental implant, implant crown, implant bridge, implant denture, implant tooth). The milling units have become faster and more resilient, while improving their overall accuracy. Prosthetics for teeth can now be sized to an accuracy of 10 microns, which is one hundredth of 1mm! The milling technology is most commonly used in the fabrication of ceramic crowns, but now the technology has made leaps and bounds allowing for the fabrication of all kinds of prosthetics. These are all precisely some of the great advantages of CAD / CAM technology compared to traditional methods.

WHAT IF I NEED TO CHANGE ANY DETAILS?

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This is a technique that allows the teeth to be created with great precision, avoiding errors in manual work. However, if it is necessary to correct a detail, to make design changes or to mill the same tooth restoration again, CAD / CAM has a great advantage compared to traditional methods: it allows you to do it without going through the whole process again from the beginning.

“If you need to adjust any details, just search for the file, open it and continue working.”

 

With this technology it is possible to save the project on the computer, with the patient’s number, and the identification of the dental technician who created the file. So, if you need to adjust any details, remake the prosthetic or just search for the file on your computer, you can open it and continue working on the initial project. Once this phase is completed, it is possible to move back to CAM, transforming the digital document into a real object again with the milling machine… and voila… we have a tooth again!