CAD/CAM Dentistry: What Is It?

CAD CAM dentistry is an innovation in dentistry and prosthodontics that first appeared in 1985, according to a review . Since then, the technology has only advanced, revolutionizing restoration dentistry for professionals and patients alike. Learn more about the technology and how it may impact your restorative dentistry appointment.

Understanding CAD/CAM Dentistry

Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) are terms describing software that make it possible for dentists to perform complex procedures faster, more easily and more accurately,  CAD/CAM technology constructs restorations, like crowns, veneers, inlays, onlays and bridges, from a single block of ceramics, which makes the final product more precise compared to traditional fabrication methods.

What the Process Involves for CAD/CAM Dentistry

With CAD/CAM dentistry, custom 3-D images of your prepared tooth or teeth are created by digitally scanning your impressions. These scans are then used to produce a virtual design for the restorative device, which is then sent to digitally connected milling equipment. The design guides the milling machine to carve the restoration from a solid block of restorative material.

We list the steps involved in a CAD/CAM procedure:

1. Anesthesia

2. Tooth preparation

3. Intraoral scanning

4. Restoration design

5. Milling

6. Sintering and polishing

7. Cementation

All this can be done chairside in about 40 minutes to two and a half hours, estimates Dental Economics. That may sound like a long appointment, but when you consider the convenience factor of only needing to make one trip to the dentist's office, it may be worth it and shorter than if you had to return for a second appointment.