Using digital technology to enhance restorative dentistry

While there are many benefits for dental practices that incorporate digital systems into their workflow, the dental team must first master the learning curve involved in order to maximize their advantages for creating well-fitting restorations. This article describes the current systems-both digital impression systems and chairside CAD/CAM systems-including software and digital cameras and scanners. The author emphasizes that to consistently capture accurate impressions with this technology, the dental team must continue to rely on traditional skills such as achieving optimal soft-tissue retraction and maintaining moisture control and isolation.