January 2019 – CFAO at the Faculty of Montpellier
A Special AO News Feature – January 2019
Did you say CAD/CAM?
Much has changed since François Duret's seminal thesis on optical impressions and, indeed, the invention of CAD/CAM in dentistry.
For many years, CAD/CAM was associated with the Cerec system. Its primary purpose was to produce ceramic restorations in the dental chair that could be bonded to partially or completely reconstruct damaged teeth. At the same time, in the early 2000s, the Procéra system introduced practitioners to laboratory CAD/CAM and new materials. Today, CAD/CAM seems to be everywhere; it is impossible to open a professional journal without seeing it on the front page. More and more practitioners are asking themselves:is it time to "switch" to optical impressions? Should I integrate CAD/CAM into my practice? How?Read the introduction
The subject is not lacking in ambition in 2018; it has a certain air of the past (Fig. 1), and I would even go so far as to say that it is becoming "pleonastic," because how can we separate dentistry, aesthetics, and digital technology in the modern world? Until 1970, dentistry was associated only with Art with a capital A. Today, science, with digital technology at the forefront, is making a spectacular entrance, which is good news for those who love our profession. However, this should not prevent us from approaching it with a certain degree of perspective. This is what we are going to do with you.Article
Introduction
Current adhesive techniques allow for a more conservative approach to restorative and cosmetic treatments; they have led to a real change in our daily practices. Combined with the therapeutic gradient, digital technology in dentistry and cosmetics is a "new" factor that is becoming increasingly widespread, even though this technology was invented in 1973 by François Duret. More and more restorations are now being performed using optical impressions. (Figs. 15 and 30).Article
This patient was treated at the Dental Care Center of Montpellier University Hospital.
Reason for consultation
The patient is referred to the prosthetics department for a temporary but aesthetic and long-lasting restoration on tooth 22. It is decided to create a bonded ceramic veneer. This will serve as a temporary solution while awaiting treatment of his anterior open bite through orthodontics and orthognathic surgery, once the patient's vertical growth is complete.Read the article
Ceramic blocks for direct CAD/CAM machining
In 1985, the first CAD/CAM inlay (1) was machined from a block of feldspar ceramic (Vita mark I) (2). Since the 1980s, various systems have been developed and subsequently evolved through a series of software and equipment (3), (4). Today, they offer the possibility of machining inlays, onlays, veneers, crowns, and even bridges and implant abutments (5). Initially, the materials had to be sufficiently strong while remaining easy to machine. Feldspar ceramics were perfectly suited to the production of small occlusal inlays (CEREC 1) (2).Article