Ryan Hamm is the former Editorial Director for Dental Products Report and Digital Esthetics.

Ryan Hamm

 has long been an industry leader in innovation when it comes to their 

. This system presents a variety of solutions that allow dental laboratories to scan and design in the lab and then send a file to Straumann for milling.

Some of the latest entries into the CARES family are Screw-Retained Bars & Bridges. We recently spoke with Valerie Rhodes, Product Manager for CARES Prosthetics at Straumann, about what led to the development of CARES Screw-Retained Bars & Bridges, why labs are going to benefit from this new workflow option and how labs that invest in the workflow can continue to receive education and support.

Read: Straumann announceds screw-retained bars and bridges earlier this year

DLP: What is your role at Straumann? What role did you play during the rollout of Screw-Retained Bars & Bridges (SRBB)?

: I am the Product Manager for CARES Prosthetics so I work with the Straumann team to launch and market customized milled abutments, elements and our line of Screw-Retained Bars & Bridges. When new products come out such as our CARES Milled Bar and Basic Fixed Bar, the product management team ensures sales has the tools to educate the customer on features and benefits as well as access to these restorative solutions. 

What was Straumann hearing from around the industry that led to the development of SRBB?

There is a need for flexible and efficient treatment solutions for fully edentulous patients. Dental laboratories have to provide customized restorations for clinicians in order to retain their business. Imagine the impact it would have on a dental lab if they were to lose a handful of their top referrals to a competitive lab that was marketing innovative restorations? They need economical and efficient solutions and an original Straumann restoration. CARES® Milled Bar, CARES® Basic Fixed Bar and Straumann’s SRBB portfolio on abutment level provide required treatment efficiency and flexibility. 

In your opinion, what sets these Straumann products apart from other bars and bridge options?

First, reliable quality through the original Straumann connection, offering Straumann quality, fit and mechanical performance. The Straumann CARES® SRBB implant connections are designed to provide a precise and lasting fit to Straumann implants. The lab’s customers will benefit from this precision. The validated workflow is another differentiation factor. Straumann CARES ensures quality every step of the way, from raw materials selection and the scan and design interface through precise, consistent milling. We also stand by our products with a 10-year Straumann Guarantee for metal and resin nano ceramic restorations and a five-year Straumann Guarantee for ceramic restorations.

Next page: How SRBB impacts labs, and what patients have been saying ...

How do these fit in with the CARES workflow?

, CARES and DWOS, labs now have two popular bar options that were not previously available through our Arlington milling facility. Now with the ability to design the Straumann Milled Bar and Basic Fixed Bar on their design software, these labs can offer the original Straumann connection at fixture level or abutment level. Prior to this, these two popular bar types were not available to anyone with the original Straumann implant to abutment interface. 

Related reading: Straumann CARES Variobase Abutments will soon be a standalone product

Do these solutions fit in with other workflow options, or is it a closed system? 

For now, these solutions are exclusive to laboratories using CARES or Dental Wings software. For other labs wanting to offer these new bar designs for surgeons that demand original components, they can take advantage of our Scan & Shape service. They simply send us a model and we design the bar for them. 

How have the CARES SRBB pushed the lab industry forward?

Labs have more options. CARES SRBB offer design flexibility with direct placement on implants, or on the new Straumann Screw-Retained Abutment (Bone Level) providing individualized solutions for edentulous patients. The Screw-Retained Abutments, available in various angulations and gingival heights, allow restorations in cases with diverging implants. 

How does Straumann provide education and support to labs who invest in this system?

Our Lab Territory Managers have expertise in all Straumann solutions and are there to support the laboratory. We get our lab partners involved with study groups. We also have technical trainers who provide a variety of education courses and additional training on design through regular webinars. Our technical support and customer service departments provide answers for the lab’s technical questions and advice on restorative options. 

What kind of response have you heard from doctors or patients who use the end product?

Customers are happy with the fit and performance. They support Straumann’s efforts to provide original Straumann final restorations on our implants. If you’d like to learn more, please contact your local Straumann Lab Territory Manager or visit 

Read now: What you NEED to know about digital dentistry

Articles

 Straumann has long been an industry leader in innovation when it comes to their CARES® system. This system presents a variety of solutions that allow dental laboratories to scan and design in the lab and then send a file to Straumann for milling.

Straumann CARES brings new options to bars and bridges [VIDEO]

	As more dental professionals adopt digital scanning, user experience is more important than ever. With that in mind, 

 has announced technological transformations to the 

The system includes a new wand with a slim profile, reported to be the smallest on the market.

The new system will be released this fall in tandem with 3M™ True Definition Scanner Software 5.0 that is designed to support faster, easier scanning with the same accuracy.

 system was built for fast scanning-once the field is prepared, an adept user can scan a diagnostic arch in as little as 60 seconds. The new wand is designed to fit in the hand like a traditional dental handpiece, with a narrow, angled tip and a slim profile said to be so ergonomically balanced it allows for one-handed scanning.


	This reportedly enhances the reach to the challenging posterior anatomy. The small profile and fast scan time are engineered to make scanning with the redesigned 3M True Definition Scanner system more comfortable for dentists, orthodontists, their staff and patients.

 member Dr. Parag Kachalia for this thoughts...

A closer view of the newly designed scanning wand.

TECHNIQUE: How to perform a crown restoration with the 3M True Defintion scanner and Trifecta method

“The digital world continues to move incredibly fast, and to keep pace with these trends, we continuously draw on the 3M innovation engine to bring fresh ideas to the table,” said David Frazee, Vice President and General Manager of 3M Digital Oral Care.

“Not only is this wand the smallest on the market, but it’s designed to be incredibly intuitive, comfortable to hold and fast and easy to use.”

For more information on the new 3M True Definition Scanner system, visit 

 As more dental professionals adopt digital scanning, user experience is more important than ever. With that in mind, 3M Digital Oral Care has announced technological transformations to the 3M True Definition Scanner.

3M is bringing new technological innovations to its True Definition Scanner [VIDEO]

	Consider these tips for making sure you don't spread let infection spread around your team or, most importantly, to the restorations you're producing for clients and patients.

It’s a good rule of thumb in any setting, but make sure you are always washing your hands any time there’s a chance of contamination happening, whether it’s in the lab, the kitchen, or anywhere else where a non-sterile hand could make a big difference.

Keep everyone on your team on the same page and make sure you’ve ensured that no one is bringing a bug into the lab. Asking someone if they washed their hands may sound like something a third-grade teacher would ask, but it’s also a good question from a smart businessperson to ask as well.

, or attend an anti-infection seminar at a tradeshow. In short, educate yourself and then put a plan in place for your lab. Make sure your employees understand the purpose of an infection-prevention plan, and get it posted around the office. Emphasize that everyone who works in the office is responsible for carrying out that plan in order to keep you, your clients and, ultimately, patients safe.  

Do you really know everything you’re supposed to be doing to ensure a completely safe and sterile environment? If someone gave you a pop quiz on the subject, would you pass or fail? You might be surprised the things you’re already doing wrong, so take a few moments and make sure you’re blocking a bug before it has a chance to cause big problems. It’s easy to skip a step here or cut a corner there, but if it ends up hurting your business, was it really worth the time or cost savings?  

It’s better to be too cautious than take a chance on causing an infection problem. Not feeling well? Cut your finger over the weekend? Err on the side of caution when it’s time to report for work on Monday.

 Consider these tips for making sure you don't spread let infection spread around your team or, most importantly, to the restorations you're producing for clients and patients.

The List: Top 5 ways to avoid infection in your lab

 is a full service lab located in New Albany, Ind., just across the river from Louisville, Ky. The lab is family owned, and was started in 1972. The lab has 11 full-time dental technicians, and 13 total full-time employees.

The lab primarily works with private practice dentists, but also has a close relationship with the University of Louisville. Roy Dental Lab also works with many prosthodontists. The lab does everything from crown and bridge work to implants, and incorporates both traditional and digital tools in lab work. The laboratory works with around 70 dentists, both local and non-local. 

 is among the most cost-effective and versatile option for metal ceramic crowns and long span bridges available today. The 

 material has an ultra-dense and stable microstructure that reportedly creates predictable results time and time again for technicians. BEGO, which has extensive experience in dental SLM technology since 2001, offers both BegoPal+ as an SLM option and also offers the Base metal 

In February of 2013, Roy Dental Lab was looking for a new solution. They had decided they wanted to go with CAD/CAM for their PFM substructures, and they were looking for a partner who would help them get there. Naturally, they decided to look at all the available options at Lab Day Chicago. While at the show, they learned about the options offered by selective laser melting (SLM), which was being used by several companies to produce substructures. In such a workflow, a lab designs a file, submits it to an SLM partner who “prints” the substructure on an SLM system, and then the substructure is sent back to the lab for porcelain build-up. 

Roy Dental decided SLM was the right choice for them. In May 2013, they started talking to BEGO USA, which was beginning to ready the release of its SLM substructures to the larger market. “As BEGO came online, we began to send a couple of test cases, and we got great results,” remembers Travis Roy, CFO/COO of Roy Dental Lab. “Their ability to offer both precious alloys [like BegoPal+] and non-precious options was a big selling point, since most other companies only offered casting of precious materials. [Casting] wasn’t something that appealed with us, because with SLM we could do the design in house and then send it out.”

“The nice thing about SLM is you can do metal occlusal, you can do full cast,” Roy explains. “Warping from bridges is no longer an issue. You don’t have to worry about that anymore. You can have confidence that what you design, you will receive. Just like the computer, what you put in, you get out. That’s what BegoPal+ does: gives the confidence that what you send, you will receive, time after time after time.”

Initially, Roy was drawn to BEGO for their time commitments. “One of the main reasons we chose them was the turnaround time, but as we’ve worked with them more, they’re just a great group of people to work with,” Roy continues. “We’ve been working exclusively with them for over nine months, and they’ve been doing all our substructures that we outsource. If we don’t have to cast it, we don’t.”

Stephanie Tinsley, CDT and chief CAD/CAM designer at Roy Dental Lab, says much the same about BEGO’s SLM process. “Our turnaround time is down from two weeks to a week,” she explains. “After two days [at BEGO], it’s back in the lab where porcelain can be applied. It’s just a faster process than waiting for the casting process.”

Go deeper: Examining precious-free alloys

Roy Dental Lab uses BegoPal+ for most of their substructures. They like having a noble alloy as an option they can offer to their customers-and they like the results. “Most porcelain systems are compatible with this alloy,” Roy explains. “It’s a chrome cobalt alloy with palladium in it, which gives it a noble rating. Having a CTE that is consistent with most porcelain systems makes it a no-brainer.”

“The fit is awesome,” Tinsley adds. “I’ve had no issues with the fit on the dies. It eliminates a lot of variables from casting. It’s a very consistent product. As far as bridges go, we also use [BEGO] for multispan bridges, from a roundhouse down to a two-unit with printed wings attached. As long as you can design it, you can get it printed.

“We’ve had no issue with the metal, as long as you treat it properly. It’s a great material. I have heard no complaints. You really have to know by looking inside the crown to see if it’s cast or printed. We’ve had no fit issues at all.”

Also check out: 5 things you NEED to know about choosing an outsourcing partner

In addition to the excellent results, Tinsley and Roy are also pleased by the savings they’ve been able to see thanks to BEGO and BegoPal+. “There’s no variable in the cost,” Roy says. “It allows us to offer flat-rate pricing for our crowns, instead of a fee plus metal cost. That’s a very attractive thing because it allows us to consistently deliver a product to a doctor without them feeling like they’re subject to market forces.”

“Your waxing/casting/metal finishing labor dollars are freed to be used elsewhere in your lab,” Roy continues. “One area where bottlenecks in production can happen is in waxing. Now, we’re able to go from model room to porcelain room. The ROI is a higher quality product with a lesser labor intense product.”

This also enables Roy Dental Laboratory to unleash their employees’ knowledge, providing a value-add for current and potential dental clients. “The nice thing about what Stephanie does, she has an intimate knowledge of how copings need to be designed on a substructure basis, and that’s one of the things we offer our doctors-we’re not just having any person doing that,” Roy notes. “It allows me to utilize her labor dollars to the fullest extent, because she’s able to give her expertise and do exponentially more than if she was to sit and wax. It’s a tangible shift for the labor dollars in your lab. It’s also more productive with the same amount of people. We’ve been able to increase our production load as a lab 25-30 percent. We’re able to do more in the same amount of time and reallocate those time resources.”

Additionally, using BEGO as an outsourcing partner for SLM substructures means that BEGO really is a partner. And for Roy and Tinsley, that’s become what sets BegoPal+ apart the most. “BEGO’s commitment to being a leader in this industry and environment is a differentiator,” Roy says. “They’ve put [in] a lot of time, effort and resources and it shows.”

Tinsley echoes those sentiments. “Their tech support is outstanding,” she notes. “If you have any issues, call them up. They’ll help you on the computer and check your settings. It’s amazing.”

Don't miss: 5 reasons you don't need to be afraid of chairside CAD/CAM

In the end, all of these qualities make both BEGO and BegoPal+ for SLM substructures a no-brainer for Roy Dental Lab. “I know there’s a little learning curve, but you’re getting accustomed to the material,” Roy says. “BEGO has great resources and they’ll put you in touch with labs who have used the material and make sure that transition is as painless as possible. Once you do it, there’s no going back. It’s a lifesaver to us, and I love the fact I don’t have to do it in my lab. They have PhD’s in metal printing-how can I duplicate that in my 13-person lab? But for the cost of a coping, I get to take advantage of that. I get to leverage my technology dollars. Right now, SLM is the best that is out there.”   

 Roy Dental Lab is a full service lab located in New Albany, Ind., just across the river from Louisville, Ky. The lab is family owned, and was started in 1972. The lab has 11 full-time dental technicians, and 13 total full-time employees.

A way to leave metal casting behind? [VIDEO]

	A team of researchers at Harvard has discovered that it may be possible to regrow dentin in teeth-

In a solution that sounds plucked straight from the realms of sci-fi, the group published their findings on 

stem cells have been used to regenerate dentin

 in a lab setting, the new technique of blasting a tooth with a non-ionizing, low-power laser has been shown to produce dentin growth in rat teeth. The dosage is important, since the same type of laser can actually destroy dentin.

More on lasers in dentistry: 5 ways dental lasers are used to treat patients

The laser apparently stimulates “an endogenous latent growth factor complex” that produces dentin regeneration. Researchers seem to suggest that it may be latent stem cells in the dentin tissue that are activated to mimic the dentin surrounding them, producing a regenerative effect. 

Naturally, this kind of discovery has huge potential for the dental world. Perhaps one day, instead of needing fillers or other types of inorganic material, it will be possible to regrow patients’ teeth in office with a chairside laser. Obviously, an entire restoration will not be possible with just the regrowth of dentin (since the enamel will still be in disrepair), but these findings could be an exciting development in the effort to make chairside solutions more painless and immediate. By growing a patients’ own latent cells, bonding would no longer be an issue and failure of the filler in merging with the surrounding dentin would be a thing of the past.

The new technique is reportedly moving on to human trials, so the dental world should hear more about this exciting new technology in the coming years. In the meantime, keep an ear out for this exciting new technology that could make direct restorations more organic and patient-friendly than ever.

Top photo: Getty Images/Datacraft Co. Ltd.

 A team of researchers at Harvard has discovered that it may be possible to regrow dentin in teeth-through the power of lasers.

Researchers discover lasers can regenerate dentin

 is a full-service lab in Charlotte, N.C., specializing in highly esthetic results for a variety of clients who request a variety of solutions. The lab is small with seven full-time technicians, an office manager and a delivery person on staff.

Sikes Dental Studios serves as a beta lab for 

, enabling them to have access to cutting-edge technology, like the newest in inLab system innovations and workflow solutions like Sirona Connect.

 enables inLab labs to receive digital files from their dentists, making communication and case collaboration with clinicians easier than ever. The inLab system provides an in-house solution for labs to create a variety of restorative options that they can offer to clinicians at a cost-effective price and with a quick turnaround time. With Sirona Connect and the inLab system, dentists and labs can quickly work together and realize the potential of a fully digital workflow.

Lindy Sikes, CDT and owner of Sikes Dental Studios, has been a dental technician for nearly 40 years. As the lab market has gone increasingly digital, he found himself at a crossroads. “Being a third-generation CDT, I grew up watching my grandfather and father run the dental laboratory, and I gradually developed a real interest in it,” Sikes explains. “My connection to Sirona began about 10 years ago. Using an old inLab LED cam, I began seeing the advantages of digital technology. At that particular time, we were sending our zirconia patterns to be processed by an outside source. As we kept working, we noticed our outsourced work was vastly increasing, to about $4,000 a month. Realizing that purchasing my own system would only cost me $2,000, I bought one and produced everything in-house.”

Becoming an inLab lab with full access to Sirona Connect has helped him take that workflow to the next level. Using Sirona Connect’s capability to manage cases and communicate with his clinician clients, Sikes is able to complete work with a faster turnaround time and with less communication breakdowns that can so often make restorative cases tricky. “Probably in 97 percent of my business, I use Sirona Connect in one step or another for digital impression-taking,” Sikes says. “Using Sirona Connect has changed my entire business model. Crowns that once took two weeks to turn around now can be completed in just three-to-five days, along with an overall reduction in costs.

“Sikes Dental Studios is a small laboratory, but we manage the volume of a 15-lab territory because of our digital capabilities,” he continues. “Using digital technology makes us much quicker. We can accept more cases with fewer technicians, complete cases faster and actually reduce our overall costs.”

Next page: The time-and-money ROI of going digital.

Sikes Dental Studios generally uses Sirona Connect to produce restorations taken from Sirona intraoral scanners and then work with the doctor’s instructions to design the solution. They then send it to Sirona’s central production service, 

, to produce the final restoration. “About 25 percent of our work comes in digitally through Sirona Connect,” Sikes notes. “Of that 25 percent, at least 75 percent of those cases require a model to work on. We take the digital file that the doctor sends us and then we send it to infiniDent to print the model. infiniDent can produce full-contour crowns or bridge frameworks with a wide range of materials including ceramic, wax or metal.

News update: Learn about the latest CEREC software update.

“We [also] use Sirona Connect to design gold crowns and porcelain-fused-to-metal copings. Before digital technology, we had to hand-wax copings at a cost of between $5-$20 each. Now that cost is $3.95 per coping. It requires less of the technician’s time handling the product and the accuracy is far greater than what can be done by hand. It saves on cost and we produce a more consistent product.”

Of course, the cost savings provided to Sikes Dental Studio by Sirona Connect isn’t just because of a reduction in coping prices. Sirona Connect also improves turnaround time, which has a dramatic effect on Sike’s bottom line. “The benefit to producing a crown faster is that it saves the doctor anywhere between $60 and $80 per minute,” Sikes explains. “Five years ago, it would usually take a week to get a crown processed. In two weeks, the patient had a temporary made out of plastic with the permanent crown delivered in three weeks. The plastic began to break down and the spaces naturally began to close. The microns of closure require grinding the permanent crown down to fit properly. That equates to an additional 10-30 minutes, and in some cases up to an hour, to place the crown at the doctor’s office.

“It’s not because the lab is bad, but because of the production time involved in producing a quality product,” Sikes goes on. “If the case can be finished quicker, there’s less time for the temporary to break or start wearing down. Using digital impression-taking, we can actually deliver a crown in a day and chairside time is minimal.” That time savings for the lab can then be passed to the doctor and then to the patient, ensuring a rapid workflow that is both better for the budget and better for the final customer: the patient.

The List: Top 5 reasons you shouldn't be scared of chairside CAD/CAM

Sikes firmly believes any lab ought to take the leap into a fully digital workflow and should begin to invest in technologies that will help them receive 

 files easily from clinicians, along with providing a way to rapidly produce restorations (either in-house or with a partner like Sirona). “Any lab that accepts digital cases is positioned well for the future,” he says. “For those lab technicians who don’t have digital capabilities right now, it’s hard for them to understand that integrating a digital platform would expand their capabilities and open a whole new communication platform between dentists’ offices and clients. We’ve milled more than 2,000 inLab units and will continue to mill many more using Sirona Connect and the inLab System.”  

 The Lab: Sikes Dental Studios is a full-service lab in Charlotte, N.C., specializing in highly esthetic results for a variety of clients who request a variety of solutions. The lab is small with seven full-time technicians, an office manager and a delivery person on staff.

Increase esthetics and ROI with Sirona inLab and Sirona Connect [VIDEO]

Though the last few years have seen a significant rise in monolithic restorations made out of materials like zirconia and lithium disilicate, there are plenty of labs that still specialize in PFM restorations and have the esthetic results to make that choice a viable one.

However, even among labs with decades of experience with casting and porcelain buildup, unexpected problems with metal handling can still set even the most practiced technician back hours. Casting metal can easily result in air bubbles, dust, dirt or any number of other issues.

Fortunately, for those labs committed to maintaining PFM work, there’s a new solution: Ceramill Sintron chrome cobalt alloy, which is a non-precious metal that demonstrates strength and esthetics in a variety of restorative solutions. And now, with Ceramill Sintron (Amann Girrbach America), technicians have a chrome cobalt material that can be dry milled on their benchtop milling machine. Sintron’s wax-like qualities in its presintered stage ensure that milling is quick and easy, providing an ideal result that is said to be perfect for porcelain layering and bonding.

To go behind the scenes of this remarkable new product, DLP recently spoke with one of the minds behind the creation of Ceramill Sintron. Falko Noak is a graduate engineer (Dipl. Ing. (FH)) and the Head of Dental Application and Research and Development at 

. He told us about the development of Sintron, why it’s pushing labs’ abilities forward and why it fits into the Ceramill CAD/CAM workflow “like butter.”

Q: You’re in R&D at Amann Girrbach. What does that entail?

My position is head of application techniques of the R&D department at Amann Girrbach. In this position, I am responsible for the development of new materials as well as application workflows for our CAD/CAM System to ensure safe and reproducible results for our users.

Q: What was your involvement in the development of Ceramill Sintron?

I was leading the development team around Ceramill Sintron from the beginning. It was a big challenge to streamline the cooperation between our own R&D department and our development partner, Fraunhofer IFAM Dresden. Our focus from the beginning was not only to develop a soft-millable CoCr blank, but to produce a complete workflow-including a reproducible sintering strategy to ensure flawless operation of the product.

Q: What were you hearing from around the lab industry that led to the development of Sintron?

We heard rumors about the basic technique in a very early stage. We instantly were attracted by the potential, but it was clear that there would be major steps necessary in order to create a working product out of this idea, which was nothing more than an idea at this stage.

We were also very attracted by the fact that this was a chance to not only replace the classic casting technique, but also create a workflow identical to the application workflow with zirconia a lot of technicians are already familiar with. Because of  our in-house approach with the Ceramill System, we have been looking for a worthwhile and efficient solution to process metal in our compact desktop milling system Ceramill Motion.

Q: For the Amann Girrbach team, what was the process like when developing Sintron?

It was a complex and challenging project from the very beginning. Our team members were extremely motivated because they realized the revolutionary potential of the product immediately. They understood it was a big chance to take part in the development of a product that has the power to change how non-precious metal restorations are handled.

Q: What are the advantages of Sintron versus other CoCr products? What sets Sintron apart?

I would list three primary advantages and qualities of Sintron that make it stand out:

1. The material demonstrates precision and reproducible results in terms of mechanical properties and biocompatibility.

2. Tremendous time savings compared to casting or outsourcing.

3. “Soft” milling (wax consistency of blank) in order to save the in-house milling unit from wearing out and losing precision over time.

Q: What have you heard from dentists about restorations created with Sintron?

They are stunned by the precision capabilities and biocompatibility, which are key factors to ensure long-term stability. Clinical results over the first two years have demonstrated hassle-free application by the involved dentist. Since the market launch, there have been over 500,000 units successfully implemented.

Q: How have patients responded to restorations created with Sintron?

From what we hear of our live and partner labs around the world, Sintron has left quite a big impression on patients as well as dentists. Due to its capabilities and perfect veneering properties, outstanding esthetics and clean-looking results are possible, which is recognized by patients instantly.

Q: How does Sintron fit into the entire Ceramill workflow?

Like butter! It was a major goal of the project from the very beginning to ensure and create a perfectly integrated workflow-it’s one of Ceramill’s biggest success factors. The Sintron perfectly fits into an existing workflow that has the Ceramill Motion 2 milling unit and the Ceramill Argotherm sintering furnace.

In conclusion, I can only thank my whole team for conquering such a project successfully and creating a product that is penetrating markets worldwide.

 Though the last few years have seen a significant rise in monolithic restorations made out of materials like zirconia and lithium disilicate, there are plenty of labs that still specialize in PFM restorations-and have the esthetic results to make that choice a viable one.

How the Ceramill Sintron chrome cobalt alloy can revolutionize PFM work [VIDEO]

 is designed to set a new benchmark in pressing technology.

The enhanced QTK2 muffle together with the SiC bottom reflector reportedly ensures optimum temperature distribution. The investment ring warms up evenly and efficiently, which leads to quality press and firing results.

Related: Check out the Programat P310 for a user-friendly for more basic cases.

The Programat EP 5010 also features an Automatic Infrared Monitoring (AIM™) system, which measures the exact temperature at the surface of the fired object and the investment ring. In case the investment ring is preheated insufficiently, a warning is automatically displayed. If the infrared technology feature is activated, the thermal imaging camera regulates the predrying and closing process. This technology is said to increase the convenience and process reliability of press and firing procedures.

		Designed to simply press difficult-to-press objects with thin marginal areas 

		Pre-installed with the material parameters for 

		New, improved technology including the QTK2 muffle, SiC bottom reflector and Automatic Infrared Monitoring (AIM™) system 

 from Ivoclar Vivadent can be optimally fired and pressed

Step by Step article: IPS e.max for implants

The Programat EP 5010 from Ivoclar Vivadent.

 The Programat® EP 5010 is designed to set a new benchmark in pressing technology.

A better press: The Programat EP 5010 from Ivoclar Vivadent

 is a dental lab in the Madison, Wisc., area that’s been operating since 1995. Initially a two-man lab, J&B now has four people on staff. The lab began as a traditional PFM, crown-and-bridge operation, but has since expanded to zirconia solutions in addition to traditional restorations, along with some implant work.

The lab is owned by Jeff Bald, and his son Aaron is the lead CAD/CAM technician who has helped oversee the lab’s transition to a digital workflow.

a longtime leader in the dental lab world. DT Technologies was formed in order to allow Dental Arts Laboratories, Inc. to serve the larger lab market by providing outsourcing services for a variety of restorations, along with excellent products for all kinds of solutions and the education and support to get the most out of every product they sell.

DT Technologies prides itself in providing excellent support to labs of every size, ensuring that even the smallest labs have the resources to compete in a globalized, technologically advanced market. 

In many ways, J&B Dental Studios’ experience with CAD/CAM and digitization is a microcosm of the industry’s experience as a whole.

“Before our CAD/CAM system, we were mainly doing PFMs and full cast crowns,” explains Aaron Bald. “But then three of our doctors in the same practice started sending their work somewhere else, because they wanted to save money on the price of crowns. And it was kind of a harsh slap on the face and we realized, ‘If we want to stay in business, we need to jump on board.’”

Fortunately, they had a long-time relationship with Colonial Dental Studio, which had become a part of Dental Arts Laboratories, Inc., just before J&B was ready to move into the digital world. That meant J&B had access to cutting-edge technology as soon as they were ready.

“They had packaged deals on milling systems-we were thinking about just purchasing a scanner to start, but the value and cost of the milling packages allowed us to make the leap,” Bald remembers. “So we purchased a 

“I think a lot of doctors thought, ‘Metal is expensive and is there an alternative,’” Bald says. “So once we made the purchase, we were able to produce zirconia restorations in-house which decreased our turnaround time and allowed us to bring in more doctors. At first, we were only producing 20-25 percent zirconia restorations, but now we’re at 65-70 percent. They like the product we’re using, [which is] 

 They think it’s a great, high translucency zirconia. It’s strong and looks incredibly life-like in a PFZ restoration.”

Bald’s experience with making the transition to CAD/CAM with J&B seems to mirror that of the whole industry, as he combined his existing knowledge as a waxer with brand-new digital abilities that enabled him to work even faster.

To hear Bald tell it, CAD/CAM didn’t necessarily improve his creativity-but it became a tool to bring his artistry to an advanced technology that could help produce restorations much, much faster.

“It takes about three days for a standard case the old way, our CAD/CAM system is so much faster.” Bald says. “Milling is so accurate-it’s so accurate, we do not have to second-guess it. With PFMs, you have to paint the dies-with our CAD/CAM system, we are able to eliminate little things like that: you no longer have to invest, burn out and then cast units. It takes me seven minutes to scan cases, and five to design a full contour crown and send it to the mill. When I was waxing, I was happy if I got 10-15 units out in a day. Now I get 20-25 units done in a day, and still have time to complete additional tasks. While the mill is running, I can continue work on other tasks.”

Unsurprisingly, this has led to a dramatic increase in the financials of the lab. “We went from $2,000 a day to $3,000 of work out per day,” Bald notes. “We expected five PFM units per day out of our techs, where as now, dollar wise, I can personally do the amount that is expected of two techs in full contour zirconia. To top it all off, I can get it done within an eight-hour period. Transitioning to this digital setup has not only helped us expand our horizons for our doctors but has also allowed us to do work for some local labs. We’ve been happy with everything.”

To get those returns from their new equipment, J&B Dental Studios needed training, education and support. Fortunately, DT Technologies provided-and continues to provide-the help to get the most out of their machines and materials. “We spent about two days of training on CAD at DAL,” Bald explains. “I absorb a lot on computers, so it didn’t take me too long. I’ve only gotten better since then, learning little tricks to make things faster. 

 is such an easy platform to use, and just from my experience overall, it’s been an easy experience to learn. 

“I have everybody’s number and I can call them directly. They’re a real good group of people,” Bald continues. “For instance, in the beginning, I had an issue and FaceTimed Ryan Johnson [CTO of DT Technologies] on a Friday night and he walked me through it and we got it fixed. Their support is better than most I would say. It’s been a fantastic experience.”

However, DT Technologies’ help doesn’t stop at the technical side. “They go out of their way to help with and make you happy,” Bald says. “It’s like talking with friends when you talk to them. You want to help each other out like friends. I know they deal with doctors and we deal with doctors, but at no point do I ever feel like we’re in competition. They provide us with advertisements with the BioZ

 and they had a flyer customized with our name, so they’re all about helping us. It’s nice to have that for our laboratory.

“Going into the whole thing, I didn’t know the DT Technologies people, so just to get to know them has been a great experience,” Bald adds. “I feel like I’ve built a friendship, and I can’t say that about any other company we deal with. They’re not just a customer service rep; you build a working relationship with them, but also a friendship.”

This article originally appeared in the May 2014 issue of Dental Lab Products. For more great articles about products in action, click here to subscribe to DLP's newsletter: 

The Lab J&B Dental Studios is a dental lab in the Madison, Wisc., area that’s been operating since 1995. Initially a two-man lab, J&B now has four people on staff. The lab began as a traditional PFM, crown-and-bridge operation, but has since expanded to zirconia solutions in addition to traditional restorations, along with some implant work. The lab is owned by Jeff Bald, and his son Aaron is the lead CAD/CAM technician who has helped oversee the lab’s transition to a digital workflow.

Partnering with DT Technologies: One investment to save time, money and stress

 is an extensive CAD/CAM system that is comprised of products and services for the entire digital processing chain. 

The machine incorporates automatic materials management in the form of the 8-disc material changer. 

 features coordinated materials that cover a broad and comprehensive spectrum of indications. 

The materials include ceramics, such as zirconium oxide, as well as acrylic resins (PMMA, PU) and wax. The Zenotec software suite also contains the user-friendly Zenotec CAM program, along with proven Wieland milling strategies and milling geometries that produce high-precision results. The Zenotec select also features a 16-position tool changer and full 5-axis operation.

		Coordinated materials for a wide range of indications

		High precision and accuracy of fit due to top-quality machine components

		Automated job processing due to the 8-disc material changer

		Exceptional productivity and short processing time as a result of optimized milling strategies

 The Zenotec select mill is an extensive CAD/CAM system that is comprised of products and services for the entire digital processing chain. 