Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2025
Digital Hybrid Model Preparation for Virtual Planning of Reconstructive Dentoalveolar Surgical Procedures
Published on: August 5, 2021
From Conventional to Complex Treatments, Digital Technologies Are Simplifying Implant Dentistry
1Section Chief, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, White Plains Hospital, White Plains, New York; Attending Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Manhattan Veterans Administration Hospital, New York, New York; Private Practice, New York Oral, Maxillofacial, and Implant Surgery, Scarsdale, New York; Diplomate, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Digital dentistry adoption has dramatically increased, with nearly all crown and bridge cases now fully digital. This shift reflects a significant technological transformation in dental practices and laboratories over the past five years.
Area of Science:
- Digital Dentistry
- Restorative Dentistry
- Dental Technology
Background:
- The dental field has undergone a significant digital transformation in the last decade.
- Restorative dentists increasingly identify as 'digital dentists,' integrating digital workflows for planning and fabrication.
- This shift impacts various dental procedures, including crowns and bridges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current adoption rate of fully digital workflows in crown and bridge cases.
- To compare current digital adoption rates with those from five years prior.
- To highlight the dramatic expansion of digital technologies in dentistry.
Main Methods:
- Survey of a prosthodontist and a dental laboratory owner regarding digital case percentages.
- Inquiry about current digital case percentages versus those from five years ago.
- Analysis of personal communications for quantitative data on digital adoption.
Main Results:
- A prosthodontist reported approximately 100% of current crown and bridge cases (excluding full arches) are fully digital, up from about 25% five years ago.
- A dental laboratory owner indicated their lab is 60% digital, with rapid growth, while most labs are 80-90% digital.
- The same lab was 70-80% analog five years ago, with a significant increase in digital equipment (mills, printers, scanners) post-Covid.
Conclusions:
- The implementation of digital technologies in dentistry has been dramatic and is expected to continue expanding.
- Digital workflows are becoming the standard for restorative dentistry, particularly for crowns and bridges.
- The dental laboratory sector has seen a substantial shift from analog to digital processes, accelerated by recent technological advancements.
