Digital dentistry offers patients more efficient and time-saving dental restoration, writes Siti Syameen Md Khalili
DENTISTS are warming up to computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technologies to deliver dental prosthesis, inlays and crowns in a more efficient yet less invasive manner.
Introduced by Q&M Dental Group Malaysia, CAD/CAM solutions for dental clinics can expedite the process of recording dental impression and executing patients’ dental restoration.
Traditionally, dental restoration involves many manual steps. For crowning, a dentist will first set putty-like material inside a patient’s mouth to take a digital impression for creating a mould. The mould will then be sent to a dental lab to fabricate the crown based on the mould.
Meanwhile, the patient will use a temporary crown. Once the actual crown is delivered to the dentist, it will be fitted to the patient. Another trip to the dentist may be necessary for follow-up treatments.
With the CAD/CAM solution in place, dentists can now offer a more accurate implant and complete the process a lot faster.
According to Dr Foo Mooh Thong, associate dentist, at Q & M Dental, the digital way is easier for both the patient and dentist.
“Firstly, no more using gooey material to create a mould. Instead, we use a scanner to capture the images inside a patient’s mouth. Then, the images are sent to the lab where dental technicians will use a special software to construct the implant. Once the design is completed, the digital file will be sent to a machine. A single block of material, for example ceramic or zirconia, will be milled according to the design. Altogether, this process does not take as long as manual fabrication. Once ready, the implant will be sent back to the dentist for fitting,” he explains.
Dental implants using CAD/CAM technology also has higher accuracy. “We’ve got feedbacks from patients that the fit is fantastic and almost no touch up is needed. What’s more, patients get to choose the material they want, so that the implant will look almost as natural as their real teeth. The machine that is used for building the implant can also work with materials that cannot be shaped using manual ways, thus giving patients more choice of materials from,” says Foo says.
CAD/CAM dentistry is supported by software and machines such as the Amann Girrbach’s Ceramill map400 and Ceramill Motion2. The Ceramill map400 can scan existing moulds or dental stone models while the Ceramill Motion2 is able to mill blocks of material, which can be metal, ceramic or acrylics-based.
Thomas Frerichs, territory product manager of Amann Girrbach Asia Pte Ltd says once the Ceramil Motion2 starts milling, the dental technician is free to start working on a new project.
“Typically, a technician needs to follow through the manual process and it takes a few days to complete a single implant. With the Ceramil Motion2, processes are simplified through software and machine fabrication, so technicians can use their time to start their next tasks,” he says.
The user-friendly software is designed to accommodate technicians with basic computer knowledge. “Amann Girrbach has a training facility in Singapore to train dentists and dental technicians who have already mastered dental anatomy,” he says.
“Those without computer knowledge may take a bit longer to learn but those who have experience in using computer applications or even Photoshop can start using it in just a few days.”
As Amann Girrbach also produces its own range of implant material, another benefit of using machines like Ceramil Motion2 is its ability to offer patients more types of products. “There are hybrid materials such as Vita Enamic and 3M Lava Ultimate which can be used as inlay, onlay and crowns. These products cannot be fabricated manually. These material have almost the same toughness and translucency as real teeth but need a high level of accuracy in its construction to give patient a truly comfortable fit,” explain Judith Zwenger, Amann Girrbach’s regional director for Asia Pacific, India and Australasia.
Dr Ng Chin Siau, group chief executive at Q&M, says that with more uptake, Malaysians will soon be able to benefit from CAD/CAM dentistry.
“There are about 6,000 dentists in the country who have expressed interest in the system. Recently, we trained over 100 dentists. However, there are only 11 labs that have the Ceramill machines, and we hope the number will increase with promotion and awareness programmes,” he says.
While CAD/CAM dentistry has been around for some time, cost has been a factor in its adoption. “We are still discussing this at forums and talks with dentists, associations and practitioners here. In Singapore, patients are charged between S$600 (RM1,587) and S$800 for a crowning treatment, while CAD/CAM crowning ranges in price from S$800 to S$1,200. Basically the 30 to 40 per cent extra that a patient pays shows in the greater efficiency, time saved and accuracy. The same price structure is likely to be applicable here,” says Ng.
Foo explains futher: “The higher cost has to do more with the accuracy that CAD/CAM dentistry can deliver, and there are cases where accuracy is needed for effective treatment. In time, and with more dentists adopting the system, such treatments will become more affordable.”