Dentalcompare
Clinical Director
Yesterday, Sirona released a slew of new dental CAD/CAM products and reimagined its CEREC system at a press event out in Scottsdale, Arizona. New materials, new digital impression systems and new milling machines were all in the spotlight.
An event such as this and the numerous new products showed Sirona continues to innovate in ways designed to find solutions for the practicing dentist. It also demonstrated that there are some irreversible tides happening in dentistry. The question of whether or not digital dentistry will impact your practice is no longer about an “If” there will be an impact. It is now “when” will the impact be felt.
Here are the reasons I feel this press event and Sirona’s CAD/CAM for Everyone message rings true:
CAD/CAM dentistry is state of the art dentistry: At the press conference, Dr. Mike DiTolla said it best when he stated: It’s not a matter of CAD/CAM being the future of dentistry. It is the dentistry of today. Dental labs have been utilizing this technology for a long time, and Sirona has made the tools to make it incredibly easy to do this work right in your own practice.
Declining price point: Sirona’s least expensive acquisition unit, called the Apollo DI, comes in just under $20,000. While there are some quality machines that are less expensive, this move by Sirona is more evidence that the barrier to entering the digital impression arena is no longer the cost. Estimates on 7 year financing for the Apollo DI put the payments around $300 per month. Considering a refill for your Pentamix machine can cost more than that, the ROI calculation becomes easy.
Diagnostics makeover: These latest changes from Sirona highlight that we are no longer working up larger cases the same way. New additions to the CEREC chairside software allow you to map a 2D picture to a 3D surface, then integrate a full color scan of the teeth and gums from the Omnicam, and you have a true to life 3D digital model of the patient for esthetic diagnosis. Plus, the Omnicam is like an intraoral camera on steroids: Why just show patients a 2D picture of an amalgam that needs to be a crown when you can show them a 3D version of their tooth? There is no question a patient will better understand his or her needs and will be more likely to accept what you are recommending.
The lab in your office: There is a declining need to utilize an outside lab for most of your dentistry. You are now able to fully create implant abutments, surgical guides and bridges right in your own practice. With the advances in software design and an expanded lineup of restorations you can manufacture, you can keep that work—and those dollars—in your own practice. The lab is not going away, as you may still want them take over your large cases, but for many routine cases, complete treatment in your practice is realistic today.
Check out the news section of Dentalcompare for full details on the day. There is a ton of information, but we have you covered.