dental lab news and technology trends
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Published by Gnathodontics, Ltd.
Fall 2007
© 2007 Gnathodontics, Ltd.
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Procera® metal-free CAD/CAM crowns and bridges from Nobel Biocare™ have been around for years now and have been a successful product
line for Gnathodontics. Since its inception, however, newer systems have come to market boasting increased strength and additional
applications for use. Nobel Biocare, not wanting to rest on their past successes with the Procera brand, introduced the new Procera Forte
scanner late last year to cheers from both doctors and laboratory owners alike. We’ve been working
with the new Forte scanner now since February and I’m pleased to report some new capabilities and improvements to the Procera
products that we can offer our doctors.
First and foremost, the new Forte scanner provides us with better coping fits than we were able to achieve with previous generation
scanners. In addition to touch scanning, the
new machine provides optical laser scanning of the die for a far greater degree of accuracy than can be achieved with
touch scanning alone. Also, the new Nobel Rondo ceramics system, which we use to build over the zirconia coping,
provides the best bond and greatest strength that can be achieved with Procera Zirconia. Additionally, the improvements
made to the Procera system software aid in both scanning accuracy and the speed of the scan itself. These new technologies
ultimately provide better fitting and more esthetic Procera crowns and bridges.
The new Forte scanner also provides new product applications that were previously not possible with the older
“touch scan only” technology. In addition to single unit alumina and zirconia Procera crowns, the following are the
latest products available with the new Forte scanner:
• Alumina bridges to 4 units (all bridges are now milled in one piece)
• Zirconia bridges to 14 units
• Procera Implant Bridge in both titanium and zirconia
• Procera zirconia implant abutments with expanded platform availability
• Abutment wax-up
• Branemark titanium and zirconiav
• Nobel Perfect titanium
• Replace titanium
• Nobel Replace titanium and zirconia
• Octagon titanium and zirconia
• Sterioss HL titanium
• Astra titanium
• Camlog titanium and zirconia
For more information on the latest implant abutment applications available with the new Forte scanner, call Steve Mott or
Kevin Kelly here at Gnathodontics. You can be assured that Gnathodontics’ Procera crowns and bridges will be the best
fitting and most esthetic you can get anywhere! Stay tuned for more exciting developments on the Nobel Biocare Procera
system. Remember, you heard it here first!
At Gnathodontics, we value the importance of educating our employees so that we can keep up with the ever changing
world of dentistry. This article highlights some of the recent continuing education events that our employees have
attended or will be attending.
In the late fall of 2006, Stoyka Agova, Elana Miloucheva, Susan Koenig, Truene Lund and Ryan Downing all attended
an advanced waxing course given by laboratory expert Russell DeVruegd in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This course, entitled
“A Practical Approach to Posterior Tooth Morphology,” gave our technicians such valuable knowledge that they will follow
up with the next course in the series, “Anterior Function and Esthetics,” later this summer and fall.
In January of 2007, we introduced the new Forte scanner from Nobel Biocare’s Procera Division. Jamie Hurst, our longtime
CAD/CAM technician, received extensive training in its advanced features and implementation here at Gnathodontics.
Subsequently, Jamie followed up with an implant course at Nobel Biocare in Yorba Linda, California. Soon after came
Procera Implant Bridge training, which has expanded our capabilities among the entire line of Procera and Nobel Biocare
implant products.
In the spring of 2007, Ernst Hegenbarth, Master Dental Technician (MDT), gave an outstanding 3-day hands-on program
detailing new ceramic materials and other technologies from Nobel Biocare. Steve Mott, Kevin Kelly, Jamie Hurst and
Stoyka Agova represented Gnathodontics at this premier educational opportunity presented by one of the industry’s
leading ceramics trainers.
In May, Bego USA held the Advanced Crown & Bridge course at their Providence, Rhode Island training facility. Butch
Connelly and Ryan Downing of our Crown & Bridge Department attended the course put on by Martin Schmid, MDT.
In addition to learning advanced waxing techniques, Butch and Ryan received training on the Bego Nautilus induction
casting machine, which we use in our crown and bridge and partial departments.
Guido Strupp, MDT, one of our veteran technicians, represented Gnathodontics and Shofu Dental at Lab Day East in New
York. There he presented an interesting and informative lecture with case photos on Ceramage, a new zirconia reinforced
composite material from Shofu.
Dennis Purington, CDT and expert removable prosthetics technician and trainer, will be at Gnatho later this year to provide
our removable department technicians valuable insight and training with today’s latest denture techniques. Dennis has
provided in-house training at Gnatho before, so we look forward to having him here again this year! Speaking of removables
training, Claudia Buckley will return to her homeland of Germany in September for 3 days of advanced training
with denture techniques using Vitapan denture teeth at Vitazahnfabrik in Bad Sackingen.
Carmen Nicholas and Stoyka Agova, both with our Ceramics Department, will attend advanced training courses later
this summer at the San Francisco based Interdisciplinary Dental Education Academy. Carmen will also attend an advanced
veneer course with the world renowned Michel Magne, MDT; and Stoyka Agova will attend an anterior morphology
course hosted by the well respected Oliver Brix of Germany.
Additionally, Gnathodontics technicians will attend our local laboratory association seminars and meetings, as well as
lectures and courses at the Rocky Mountain Dental Convention in Denver. We strive to train and educate our staff in the
latest products and techniques so that we may provide your office with the best that the field of dental technology has
to offer.
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Recently I had the opportunity to attend a demonstration at a local dentist’s office which
included both prepping and impressions on a patient for a single tooth, all-ceramic crown.
You might be thinking to yourself, “How is this news worthy?” Ordinarily, I would agree with
you. However, this hands-on demonstration, especially the taking of a quadrant impression
of the prepped tooth and an opposing impression, was quite different than the routine
clinical procedures we are all familiar with. As it happens, no impression materials were
used on this patient. The impressions were taken digitally, with the Cadent iTero™ digital
impression system.
The Cadent iTero system was introduced to the United States dental market this past February
at the Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting. The iTero system utilizes an intra-oral scanner to
accurately and quickly capture the 3-D geometry of the tooth preparation site. The digital
model is magnified and displayed on an LCD screen while the patient is still in the chair. This
detailed visualization, in addition to advanced case analysis tools, enables the dentist to
make adjustments as necessary before completing the scanning process.
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Once the dentist approves the digital impression, the file (digital scan of the prep site)
is sent electronically to the Cadent partnered dental laboratory for review. The laboratory
reviews the digital file and sends it electronically to Cadent’s manufacturing facility for precision milling of the case model
work. The model work is then milled overnight and returned to the laboratory for fabrication of a beautiful and precise-fitting restoration.
Current applications include full cast gold; porcelain-fusedto- metal crowns and bridgework; and most of the latest
generation of zirconia and alumina all-ceramic crowns. Additional applications will be added through future
software updates to the system.
What impressed me (no pun intended) most about this system
was the ease with which the digital impression was taken and the capability of making adjustments while the patient
is still in the chair. Read: no rescheduling the patient for reprep or reimpress! Patients will surely appreciate not having
messy and yucky tasting impression materials in their mouths. The clinician will like the accuracy of the digital impression
and the quickness with which the final restoration seats. At the laboratory, we will benefit from the ability to review
the prep site and impression before they are sent to us. We will also enjoy the accuracy of the CNC milled model work
from which we will fabricate a beautiful restoration. The Cadent iTero system provides a win-win situation for everyone
involved.
To learn more about the Cadent iTero™ system, call me here at Gnathodontics at 800-234-9515, extension 105.
Some of you may have seen (or heard) that our current laboratory building in Wheat Ridge is for sale. Well, for once, the
rumors are true! Gnathodontics, Ltd. is growing and we are busting at the seams in our current location. Our building (not
business) is for sale, and we are actively searching for a new building or suitable land to build a state-of-the-art facility.
We are excited about the possibilities that come with a new, larger facility. Furthermore, this opportunity will allow us to
provide more products and services, such as an in-lab continuing education center. Stayed tuned for more info as it happens,
and thanks for helping make Gnathodontics the busy, premier full-service dental laboratory that we have become!
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From time to time we get requests for custom artwork on our crown and bridgework. Many times a patient wants a lasting memento to
remember their favorite pet, place or sports team. Here at Gnathodontics, we have talented ceramists who hand apply specialized stains
on our crowns and then apply and fire a layer of glaze over the design to ensure a long lasting finish. Custom artwork starts at $75
(in addition to the crown fee) and may vary based upon the complexity of the artwork. Call Kevin Kelly in our ceramics department
for more information or for a quote.
© 2007 Gnathodontics, Ltd.
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