Is it necessary for dentists to undergo special training to use CAD/CAM technology?
CAD/CAM technology is a special form of computerized technology that allows dentists the opportunity to make dental restorations with the assistance of CAD (computer-aided design) methods. Restorative pieces such as veneers, dental implants, crowns, and other manufacturable restorations can be done with the use of CAD/CAM technology. While this technology used to be unavailable to dentists because of the costs attributed, dentists are now able to afford and utilize CAD/CAM technology within their own practice to design and create restoratives.
Since CAD/CAM dentistry became popular around the 1980's, there has been extensive training and education on the use of CAD/CAM technologies for creating dental restorations. Using this technology can be extensive and difficult, which is why there is special training in order to utilize this form of restorative creation. In fact, there is also a network of dental professionals who have organized together as the North American Academy of Computerized Dentistry. There are a number of different organizations and academies that revolve around the use of computerized dentistry within the United States. LaserDentalAssociates.com is one of the premier dental practices in Michigan, having been one of the first to utilize CAD/CAM technology since 2000.
CAD/CAM technology has changed the way that dental restorations are created for everyday patients. Before dentists were able to afford and train to use the CAD/CAM software to create these restorative pieces, they would have to take molds of the patient’s teeth and send them off to an off-site location in order to have restorative pieces made and sent back. This process could take several days or weeks, and required the dentist to schedule two separate appointments: one to take the mold and place a temporary piece, and one to place the piece when it arrives back from the off-site location. This takes extra time and money for both dentist and patient. Investing in the equipment and training for CAD/CAM technology within a dental office is one way to reduce costs and timely shipping and transfers to off-site locations for restorative creation.
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