Dental CAD/CAM: a millstone or a milestone?

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• The increasing availability of dental computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) systems presents diverse applications, from simple milling to automated crown and bridge production.
• These systems offer potential advantages over traditional methods, including chairside fabrication and reduced cross-infection risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the capabilities and implications of dental CAD/CAM systems.
• To assess the benefits and challenges associated with the adoption of CAD/CAM technology in dental practices.

Main Methods:

• Review of commercially available dental CAD/CAM systems.
• Analysis of system complexity, applications, and production capabilities.
• Discussion of clinical and economic factors influencing system adoption.

Main Results:

• Dental CAD/CAM systems vary in complexity, enabling tasks from inlay milling to automated crown and bridge production.
• Chairside production is a key feature, theoretically minimizing inaccuracies from traditional indirect restoration methods.
• Reduced cross-infection is an additional benefit, though high capital costs and the need for high patient throughput are significant economic considerations.

Conclusions:

• Dental CAD/CAM systems offer promising advancements in restoration production, with potential for improved accuracy and infection control.
• The financial viability of these systems is contingent upon achieving a high volume of procedures.
• Further long-term clinical studies are essential to fully ascertain the efficacy and long-term impact of dental CAD/CAM technology.