As with any aspect of life, sticking to what you know can feel comfortable. This can apply to your work, using the same equipment, techniques, and treatment types out of habit or convenience, even when there might be a better, more efficient way of doing things. While it can come with a learning curve in some cases, embracing the digital dental revolution presents a number of benefits to the clinician, their dental team, and their patients. Digital chairside dentistry allows the clinician to offer more services to their patients more quickly, thanks to streamlined workflows.
Adopting this type of software also allows practitioners to future-proof their dental practice, both by integrating modern technology, and training their dental team to operate digital equipment and software, preparing for future digital dentistry.
Enhanced communication
Spare your patients the discomfort of conventional impression taking when you utilise an intraoral scanner in your practice. They can map out and create a three-dimensional model of the patient’s anatomy without the need to use traditional impression materials, wait for impressions to set, or cause the patient any discomfort or anxiety. Intraoral scanners are able to produce highly accurate representations of a patient’s mouth while eliminating the risk of human error.
The scans produced using this type of dental impression are also a fantastic tool for communication. This means that clinicians can effectively explain a patient’s situation, allowing them to understand any issues they have and describe potential treatment plans. In doing this, your practice will likely see a rise in case acceptance as patients have a better understanding of the treatment they need. Additionally, clinicians can more effectively communicate with other professionals quickly, using accurate visual data.
Reliability in treatment planning
Employing digital software can help you better plan treatment and share with colleagues and dental technicians where needed. Additionally, with the implementation of a 3D printer, you can carry out a number of additional services within your own practice.
In a similar way to conventional impression taking, manual model making can generate inconsistencies due to human error. However, you can improve accuracy by using a 3D printer to produce dental appliances. Research suggests that 3D printed models can be truer to the original reference when compared to conventional stone casts, making them preferable in many clinical scenarios. 3D printers also improve reproducibility, helping to save time, reduce the risk of errors, and improve the experience for patients. This is perfect for reliable and predictable treatment when providing things like dentures and night guards, for example. 3D printers can provide practices with accuracy, efficiency, and precision which can contribute to improved treatment outcomes and an increase in patient satisfaction – giving your practice a boost.
Quality care from start to finish
For practices that would like to offer complete workflows from within the practice and even during the same appointment, a chairside milling machine could be the ideal option. This allows clinicians to scan the patient, plan the restoration, and provide the restoration very quickly. This means that, should a patient require a zirconia crown, for example, they can expect a faster service without having to wait between appointments for manufacture in a dental lab. As this chairside equipment becomes more accessible for some, clinicians are able to carry out more treatment in house, for greater flexibility and shorter treatment times where appropriate.
For clinicians who are ready to embrace the digital revolution and introduce chairside CAD/CAM workflows into their practice, Clark Dental offers professionals the cutting-edge Cerec Primescan intraoral scanner, Primeprint 3D printer and the Primemill milling machine. The equipment works together to offer a seamless digital experience. With these systems, you can create accurate, high-grade surgical guides for guided implant treatment and even produce zirconia restorations in-house.
As digital dentistry continues to offer clinicians more benefits and become more user friendly, there has never been a better time to step out of your comfort zone and into the future. By mastering one aspect of the digital chairside workflow at a time, perhaps beginning with intraoral scanning and then 3D printing, for example, the process becomes very easy, and soon enough, you’ll be able to offer patients a unique treatment experience. This level of customisability, communication, and convenience will enable you to attract new patients and offer your existing ones a more streamlined and reliable treatment experience.
References available on request.