CAD/CAM Dentistry

SCOTTSDALE, AZ, October 02, 2010 (Press-News.org) If you are an engineer you are probably familiar with the term CAD/CAM. But most of us are not only unfamiliar with the term, but unaware of how CAD/CAM technology is changing the face of dentistry and helping us all smile a little sooner.

CAD/CAM stands for Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing and has been used extensively in many manufacturing and engineering fields. A little over two decades ago, at the University of Zurich, the technology was used to create what is now called the CEREC, a method which creates porcelain dental restorations in a matter of minutes instead of days.

Same-Day Dental Crowns

While CAD/CAM dentistry is not being used by every dentist in the world or even in the country, the benefits are clear enough that tens of thousands of cosmetic dentists are creating their dental restorations in-house, instead of sending impressions to dental labs to have porcelain dental restorations created. One of the most effective uses of CAD/CAM in dentistry is the same-day porcelain crown, which removes several steps, including using a temporary plastic crown while a permanent crown is made by a laboratory.

Because the most common CAD/CAM dental technologies use sculpted porcelain to create crowns and other types of dental fixtures such as inlays and onlays, the technology is even promoting safer dental restorations by reducing the use of metal amalgam fillings, which often contain traces of mercury.

Using CAD/CAM

Many cosmetic dentists who were wary of CAD/CAM technology have been amazed to find that they have as much control in creating dental restorations as they did when utilizing a dental lab. The technology is so precise that dental restorations made by CAD/CAM often fit better than those made by hand in a dental lab. Patient satisfaction is being increased simply because you can have your tooth repaired in a single day, instead of having to return for repeat appointments.

While we may not be driving around in flying cars or transporting from one place to another by splitting up our molecules, the future is quickly moving closer and providing new and improved ways to make our lives simpler. Spending time in the dentist's chair is low on most people's priority lists, and CAD/CAM dentistry technology is helping you move on faster than ever before.

You can learn more about CAD/CAM and other cosmetic dentistry technologies available in Arizona by visiting the website of Scott LeSueur, D.D.S., & Charles Dodaro, D.D.S., Cosmetic Dentistry today, welcoming patients from Phoenix, Tempe, Scottsdale and Mesa.

Website: http://www.drsofsmiles.com