Noah Levine

Unpacking the results of the Dental Lab Products®  2021 Technology Survey

Articles

Unpacking the results of the Dental Lab Products® 2021 Technology Survey

A Range of Technologies  Sparks  Interest From Dental Labs

Dental labs have always been supported by a foundation of technologies designed to help skilled technicians work with specialized materials to design and fabricate crowns, bridges, dentures, and numerous other dental appliances. The scanners, mills, and printers used by dental labs are all technology platforms that are also used in other industries, which have been customized for the unique needs of a dental lab. The materials these systems process are also technologies developed and fine-tuned for dental applications.

Although a dental lab relies on many specialized innovations, there are plenty of consumer technologies that labs should be employing to help with everything from business operations to communications, and much more. Here are 5 consumer technologies that can help any dental lab.

About a decade ago, this entry would likely have omitted the word 

 as a phone by itself is an essential part of any lab’s operations. However, the rise of these pocket computers that combine a phone, camera, video player, and so much more, makes the smartphone an essential tool. These devices can stand in for many of the other technologies on this list because they can be used for capturing and sharing case images, watching training videos, looking up references, talking with clients, and even providing music to keep the lab going throughout the workday. Just be sure to keep a charging cord handy.

This technology might seem redundant with a smartphone on hand, but sometimes a bigger processor—and a bigger screen—is a huge advantage. Although a dedicated digital lab is going to want top-of-the-line computers for running CAD/CAM applications, having a desktop machine to manage the business side of the lab, track cases, and handle numerous other tasks makes sense. The smartphone might be convenient and multidimensional, but a stand-alone computer, which can handle more data-intensive tasks, remains a necessity in almost any business.

This may seem like another repetitive entry, but a tablet can have some unique applications in a dental lab due to its form. Sure, a tablet, such as an iPad, is basically a smaller computer—or a jumbo-sized smartphone—but it’s an ideal technology for use at the bench. The larger screen makes it a great tool for quick video calls or for referencing information or videos without having to stop working completely. The thin design of tablets means they do not require much benchtop real estate and can be moved around the lab with ease. Add in a Bluetooth keyboard so you don’t need to constantly touch the screen or type on the virtual keyboard to make it even more convenient.

A stand-alone camera can add even more to a dental lab. The basic use of a camera to document work and communicate with clients can be accomplished with a smartphone, especially a newer, high-end phone that features the latest in smartphone camera technology. However, a stand-alone camera setup with optimized lighting can take lab photography to new levels. It’s easy to capture every detail of a fixed or removable restoration once you have a camera and lighting properly set up in your lab. These high-quality photos can do a lot for your marketing, as well as make it easy to share extreme close-ups when a minute detail needs to be discussed with a client.

The internet now rivals the phone as the primary means of communication and makes it possible for dental practices to submit cases digitally, which eliminates shipping time and speeds up the case. The internet allows a lab to use cloud-based software for both business management and digital case design, making it easier to access information and complete work from virtually anywhere. This tool has become so essential to both work life and leisure time that today it’s hard to imagine not having instant access to information and people, regardless of location.

A look at some of the off-the-shelf technologies that have a role to play in every modern dental laboratory.

5 Consumer Technologies Essential in a Modern Dental Lab

Despite the numerous advances in dental techniques, technologies, materials, and medications, many patients remain afraid of even a routine dental visit, and few procedures have the fear-inducing reputation of the root canal.

A root canal is often the approach most likely to preserve natural dentition, and plenty of data document its effectiveness in relieving pain and helping to clear up infection. But overcoming a bad reputation is never easy, and the dreaded root canal still has some way to go before it is no longer seen as something to be feared by the general population. Here are 6 myths patients continue to believe about root canals and explanations to convince them otherwise.

Dental phobias are often rooted in the perceived pain and discomfort during and after treatment. Of course, root canals are often a way to relieve pain, and although there may be some soreness after the procedure, the reputation of the painful root canal predates the widespread use of anesthetics as well as newer, less invasive clinical techniques. Today, most post–root canal pain can be handled with OTC options, which should help put patients at ease.

If the pain doesn’t scare patients away, the time required for the procedure and recovery might. But just like the misconception that root canals are extremely painful, the fact that they are a relatively efficient procedure with often minimal follow-up treatment is not widely understood. Although every tooth’s root system is different, and root canal procedures take different amounts of time depending on the complexity of the clinical and anatomical situation, the treatment usually requires just 1 or 2 appointments along with postoperative monitoring.

Cost of care is one of the most common concerns among patients in the United States, and it is also the case when it comes to root canals. Many patients put off or avoid necessary treatments due to the cost of the procedure. But most dental insurance covers at least part of the cost, and offering payment plans and financing options can help make the treatment more affordable. It’s also important to make sure the patient understands that the cost of pulling the tooth and replacing it with an implant, bridge, or partial denture is often much greater than the cost of the root canal.

Sometimes patients seek to avoid root canals based on the belief that the restored tooth is going to die and fall out soon anyway. Of course this is not the case. With proper oral care following the root canal, patients can maintain the restored tooth for many years. According to findings from 1 study, root canals performed by dental students showed an 85% survival rate after 10 years.

5. It’s better to pull the tooth because it’s dead anyway

Today’s patients have access to more information than ever before, but that doesn’t mean they always turn to reliable sources. A root canal does involve removing the infected pulp inside a tooth and replacing it with a filler material, but the restored tooth is still a vital part of the oral environment. As long as the gums remain healthy, the restored tooth should look and function just like a tooth with vital pulp for many years after the procedure.

This is likely the most dangerous of the root canal myths that continue to spread. Although there is plenty of research connecting oral health—most commonly, periodontal health—with systemic conditions including heart disease and diabetes, evidence does not support a link to root canals. This myth dates back to the research of Weston A. Price, DDS, a dentist in the early 20th century who believed that leaving the “dead” tooth in the mouth after a root canal led to further health problems. But a root canal actually removes the diseased or dead tissue from inside the tooth, and Dr Price’s theories have been repeatedly disproved, including in a 1951 issue of the 

Journal of the American Dental Association

Root canals are safe and effective treatments, and although patients should always be encouraged to ask questions, dispelling concerns about the procedure is fairly straightforward.

1. Dammaschke T, Steven D, Kaup M, Ott KHR. Long-term survival of root-canal-treated teeth: a retrospective study over 10 years.

 2003;29(10):638-643. doi:10.1097/00004770-200310000-00006

2. Johnson M. Root canal safety: the truth about endodontic treatment and your health.
Dear Doctor. July 1, 2018. Accessed July 6, 2021. 

https://www.deardoctor.com/inside-the-magazine/issue-37/root-canal-safety/

Root canals continue to have a scary reputation among patients, but the myths behind their fears are often easy to debunk.

6 Myths Patients Believe About Root Canals

Whether it concerns adding a cone beam 3D-imaging system or an intraoral scanner, Benn Lieberman, DMD, says staying up-to-date on the latest clinical technology is always a priority for his practice in Mount Kisco, New York.

Dr Lieberman and his 2 partners run South Bedford Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (SBOMS), a busy practice focused on placing dental implants as well as orthognathic and reconstructive surgeries. The practice has had its eye on adding a 3D printer for some time, but it was a recent remodel that led to the investment.

“We completed our renovation about 6 months ago and we now have a dedicated spot for our 3D printing. We’ve been very excited about that addition to our practice,” Dr Lieberman says.

Scan to Model is a new tool for Formlabs’ PreForm software designed to convert intraoral scans into 3D printable models quickly via a simple workflow. Clinicians can create models for diagnostics, thermoformed orthodontic appliances, and fit checks from digital impressions uploaded to PreForm’s Scan to Model tool, and printed with a Formlabs 3D printer. The new tool is said to reduce turnaround time and simplify model 3D printing.

The practice selected the Form 3B printer from Formlabs, which has a compact footprint. Additionally, it delivers the speed and quality the practice was looking for in the production of implant surgical guides, as well as the models Dr Lieberman likes to use to evaluate occlusion and other orthognathic treatment outcomes.

The practice is still refining workflows to include digital impressions of every surgical patient, but the 3D printer has been a great fit overall. Dr Lieberman says the practice works with an IT provider for their technical setup needs, which has made integrating the printer simple. Although Dr Lieberman has had some prior 3D printing experience, at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where he serves as director of oral and maxillofacial surgery, he has been thrilled with how quickly and easily his team at SBOMS has taken to the technology.

“Even more important than my comfort with it is that the staff has to be comfortable with it,” he says. “It’s been great. We’ve printed out a bunch of guides, and they fit well. Once we’ve learned our systems and our processes, my staff is really good with technology.”

One of the printer features Dr Lieberman has been able to try out is the recently launched Scan to Model capability, designed to make model production more efficient. He says the system is fairly easy to use and that he and his team are becoming more proficient at setting up models or guides for the printer.

“So far, it’s just a few clicks and we’re good to go,” he says.

The models work great for Dr Lieberman’s occlusal analysis. Additionally, he appreciates being able to store a digital instead of a physical model because it cuts down on the space required for storage and makes it easier to find if it is needed in the future. However, the surgical guides are what the practice is using most often right now.

Prior to adding the Formlabs printer, the practice sent cases out for surgical guide design and production. The quality of the guides was great, but with the labs being produced on the west coast, timing was always a challenge.

With the printing taking place in-house, the practice can schedule and complete cases in a shorter time span. These appointments are also more predictable now because the surgical guides are no longer delayed in shipping.

“It’s not that it’s a significant time savings in terms of staff time, but it’s definitely overall money saving because the guides are significantly less expensive. So we don’t have to pass [extra] cost through to our patients, which they like.”

At SBOMS 2 treatment coordinators are in charge of making sure the guides are ready for every guided surgical appointment. According to Dr Lieberman, they are the real experts with the system and have made it possible for the busy practice to add 3D printing technology without slowing patient care.

“I don’t know that I could do this without them because of the volume we’re doing,” he adds.

The printer is a perfect fit for the dentistry and oral surgery performed at SBOMS. Dr Lieberman believes that 3D printing has a big part to play, not only in the dentistry of the future, but also in the treatments that practices are performing right now.

“This is not something that’s the future. This is something we should be doing today,” he says.

How adding a Formlabs 3D printer is helping one dental practice increase treatment efficiency while reducing costs.

Closer Look: The Benefits of Printing at the Practice

6 Dentist Inventors

Dentists often design creative solutions, and not always for challenges faced in their practices.

6 Dentist Inventors and Their Non-Dental Inventions

Dental Products Report 2021 Technology Census

Presenting the results of the Dental Products Report® 2021 Technology Census

Dental Technology Priorities Show the Impact of COVID-19

Dentistry is becoming a very high-tech industry. Numerous dental-specific technologies such as intraoral scanners, curing lights, and specialized software platforms are in use at practices every day. Although these technologies have been developed and refined for use in dentistry, modern practices also employ off-the-shelf consumer technologies. Here’s a look at some of these tools and how they can help improve practice operations.

This one seems like a no-brainer; the phone has been a key cog in dental practice operations for decades. Although other methods of communicating with patients are gaining popularity, the phone call remains an important way to connect. Modern phone systems have added a wide range of extra features, especially Voice over Internet Protocol systems that can be fully integrated to directly connect phones to the practice computer system.

Today it’s rare to find any business without at least 1 computer, and dental practices are no different. Computers do everything from storing patient records to managing schedules, handling clinical images, and helping with treatment planning. Although the computers used in dental practices are not so different than any other desktop or laptop machine, the software run in a dental practice often demands a high-end computer with the power to process big files and the memory to store them.

Photography is closely aligned with dentistry and cameras can be found in many dental practices. Whether it’s a high-end SLR camera with specialized flashes and lenses or a simple point-and-shoot camera, being able to document treatments can be helpful for educating patients and refining clinical skills. Today it’s easier than ever to capture a great photo, and even smartphones are equipped with high-resolution cameras and intuitive photo editing software.

Speaking of smartphones, these ubiquitous devices have become essential gear for everyday life, and mobile tablets are just as useful. In a dental practice a smartphone can manage some tasks previously handled via the first 3 technologies on this list. They’re also a great way to catch up on emails or industry news in between patients. Tablets are also being used by dental practices in numerous ways. In the reception area they can be set up as standalone check-in kiosks or even entertainment for patients. That entertainment use can carry over into the operatory where these devices can also be great tools for patient education and case presentation. One caution when using these devices is security and patient privacy.

Putting screens in every room of a practice is nothing new. In an operatory, a TV can be connected to a computer to serve as a display monitor or connected to cable or a streaming service to provide patients with distracting entertainment during treatment. In the reception area, a TV can be used to promote services at the practice, educate patients about caring for their oral health, or just keep them entertained while waiting.

In dentistry, as well as other industries, the internet quickly came to rival the phone as the primary means of communication. The internet allows dental practices to securely send digital cases to a dental lab or refer patients to a specialist. It supports cloud software applications to make practice information accessible from anywhere. It’s also the home to a dental practice’s website, which is often the hub of a vibrant practice’s marketing efforts.

This last item is likely the least common of these technologies in use at dental practices. That’s due to the fact that this technology is still emerging on the consumer side. But with the capability to transport a patient away from the anxiety of sitting in the operatory, this technology shows great promise for growth both in dentistry and in the wider world.

A look at some of the consumer technologies dental practices should be using to provide efficient care and business operations.

7 Consumer Technologies That Can Help a Modern Dental Practice

In the cloud and accessible anywhere with an internet connection.

Available 24/7 to create design proposals whenever the service is needed.

Using 3Shape Automate allows dental labs and busy dental practices to scale up their CAD/CAM production by leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to create proposed restoration designs in as little as 5 minutes. The system sends design proposals back for approval, and users only pay for the designs they approve. It has a design approval rate of 92%, and the site can process multiple designs simultaneously, allowing busy labs to send hundreds of cases and receive design proposals in a selected turnaround time.

Compatible with 3Shape’s Dental System CAD platform, as well as exocad and direct uploads from select scanners, 3Shape Automate orders require only a digital file and design preferences for contacts, occlusion, and undercuts. Design proposals are reviewed via a series of screenshots, and if the design is approved, the customer then downloads the file and pays for the service. Designs can be produced via standard CAM platforms, including mills and 3D printers, either in house or with another outsource partner.

New remote digital design service uses artificial intelligence to provide rapid restoration proposals.

5Ws* 3Shape Automate

8 Dental CAD/CAM Technology Milestones

Dental CAD/CAM technology is no longer new, and throughout its more than 30 year history, these digital dental systems and accompanying materials have greatly expanded what can be done chairside.

Dental labs and the technicians working there must become experts with the materials they use. A technician needs to understand the specific nuances of a material relative to the techniques for shaping and processing the material as well as the techniques for finishing the restoration. An understanding of a material’s physical properties is key because restorations must be engineered to meet functional demands as exacting as the esthetic expectations of patients and clinicians. With this in mind, we asked what materials technicians are most likely to recommend for different restoration types, as well as what factors are most important when selecting a new material to use.

When it comes to choosing materials to recommend for different clinical situations, it should be no surprise that the response depends on the type and location of the restoration. While zirconia is proving to be the Swiss Army knife of indirect materials and was the most popular choice for use in the posterior, glass ceramics and layered ceramics were other popular options for single anterior units. When it comes to the posterior for crowns or bridges, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) or porcelain-fused-to-zirconia (PFZ) options remain common recommendations. The opinions were most divided on the best option for anterior bridges, where zirconia, PFM, and layered ceramic restorations were all popular choices.

When it comes to removable partials, the recommendations are all across the board. Cobalt-chrome (CoCr) frames were the most popular choice, but titanium alloys were close behind, and newer polymer options received strong support from the lab providing removable partial services. From this variety of recommendations, it’s clear there are many workable options for designing removable partial frameworks.

It’s likely no surprise that the factors rated most important when considering a new material are enhanced durability followed closely by enhanced esthetics. Those factors were rated as “very important” by more than half of the survey respondents, and when the “important” votes are added to that total, both factors were cited by more than 9 in 10 survey respondents. Every factor in the survey was rated as “very important” or “important” by more than half the respondents, so it’s clear that lab technicians are evaluating every aspect of a new material before bringing it into a lab.

The Dental Lab Products® 2021 Materials Survey provides a look at what materials are most often recommended in various clinical situations, as well as the most important properties for a dental material.