DT News - India - Academic review of CAD/CAM applications within dentistry

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 11 April 2023

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SAWANGI, India: One thing is certain: technology is always changing. Whether a dental clinician is experienced in CAD/CAM or is a novice in digital dentistry, it is important to stay abreast of new developments. To help dental practitioners navigate the myriad of ever-evolving terms developed to describe CAD/CAM, including 3D printing, within dentistry, researchers at the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology at the Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research in the Indian state of Maharashtra have released a helpful reference guide.

Understanding innovation within CAD/CAM is only possible with an overview of the fundamentals. This is particularly relevant because the majority of currently practising clinicians did not receive any formal education on CAD/CAM, 3D printing, materials science or engineering, all of which are now fundamental areas of knowledge in the practice of dentistry.

The authors ease clinicians into the technologies with an overview of the three broader approaches to CAD/CAM. Direct CAD/CAM enables restoration in a single visit, and all processing stages occur on-site. For semi-direct CAD/CAM, a least one step has to be performed externally. The practitioner obtains the data for the CAD, CAD is performed either in-house or by an outside laboratory, and the requisite prosthesis is manufactured externally. In indirect CAD/CAM, the clinician creates a physical impression that is sent to an external production facility, leaving no stage of design or production in-house.

There are possibilities for application in all dental specialties, including restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, oral surgery and orthodontics. For example, CAD/CAM can be used for the design and fabrication of inlays; onlays; prostheses; prosthetic bases, frameworks and bars; veneers; surgical guides; indirect bonding trays; and models for various uses, including for fabrication of clear aligners. In fact, there are increasingly fewer procedures that cannot be carried out with the aid of some form of digital technology.

The benefits of choosing to learn more about and invest in CAD/CAM processes are significant, according to the researchers. Aside from increased profitability and productivity, a clinician has access to a much broader range of treatment options, improving the patient experience and saving chair time. Additionally, for patients, involving them in their treatment through computer-generated visualisations of their treatment plan and envisaged outcome—as opposed to being passive recipients of treatment—boosts treatment acceptance.

The reference guide, titled “Application of CAD/CAM technology in dentistry”, was published in the October 2022 issue of the Journal of Research in Medical and Dental Science.