My journey to making a crown in an hour genuinely possible
podcast Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 27th February 2023
Alison Simpson talks about her journey to achieving highly aesthetic CEREC Tessera™ crowns in just one hour
Read the full article here, or listen to the audio version courtesy of The Probe Dental Podcast, also available on all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify:
Since opening my first squat clinic back in 2005 and subsequently moving on in 2015 to be principal of my private practice, Trinity Dental in Rothwell, I’ve always wanted to embrace the digital world of dentistry.
For over 30 years CAD/CAM technology and the CEREC® system have been at the forefront of digital dentistry, making same-day dentistry mainstream while simplifying every stage of the restorative journey from treatment planning, design and manufacture to final placement. I wanted to be a part of that journey, but I just needed the right support to get me on my way.
I talked to my colleagues about a move digital; some were very positive, a few less so, but I knew I had to start somewhere and I felt the time was right to get on board. I could see that a CEREC digital workflow would give myself and my associates the ability to take digital impressions, design, mill and place restorations within the practice in just one appointment. This was definitely the way forward in building a successful practice.
A validated workflow
Thanks to the innovation shown by Dentsply Sirona and the customer support they offered me to get the right equipment in place, we started offering CEREC same-day crowns in the practice in 2016 and haven’t looked back.
From my initial digital start-up with the CEREC® Omnicam, we now have our own in-house ceramic studio that centres on a combination of the latest state-of-the-art components – the CEREC® Primescan intraoral scanner, CEREC design software, the CEREC® Primemill and the CEREC® SpeedFire sintering furnace.
As well as same-day crowns, this validated digital workflow has enabled us to offer a range of restorative dental treatments including bridges, inlays, onlays and veneers to be easily completed in a single visit, as well as bringing faster clinical delivery of treatments such as dental implants and orthodontics.
Material choice
The key to any successful restoration is in the choice of restorative material, not just for essential strength and aesthetics but also the compatibility with the milling and firing process for predictable treatment outcomes. The Primemill is compatible with a wide range of materials from validated manufacturers including feldspar, lithium disilicate and zirconia.
However, my material of choice now for almost every indication is Dentsply Sirona’s new CEREC Tessera block, an advanced lithium disilicate ceramic designed to accelerate the manufacturing process by significantly shortening the glaze firing time using the SpeedFire to just 4 minutes 30 seconds. Tessera also has significant material strength of >700 MPa and since I’ve started using it I’ve been really impressed with the overall aesthetics, especially the chameleon effect it brings, allowing the material to blend smoothly into the arch.
My associates have been so impressed with Tessera and the time it saves across the manufacturing process, that we have just procured a second SpeedFire. Instead of having to wait 15 minutes or more for conventional firing where it’s easy to get sidetracked onto other tasks, in the five minutes it takes with the CEREC SpeedFire we can bring the patient back into the chair, get them settled and get on with final placement.
This not only makes the treatment journey much easier for patients, it frees up more time for me to work on my business. It means you feel more in control, you have time to organise your business more efficiently and have more time to communicate with and educate your practice team.
Time-saving tips
In October 2021 as part of Dentsply Sirona’s ‘Let’s Talk LIVE Decoding Digital Dentistry’ event, I presented a live surgery demonstration of a single crown workflow with a real patient. This focused on the whole chairside process and how Primescan, Primemill and the SpeedFire together with Tessera CAD/CAM blocks all combine seamlessly to make a crown in an hour genuinely possible.
In the run-up to the event and with the advice of one of Dentsply Sirona’s digital specialists, I realised I could make further changes to my workflow which would make it possible to design, create and fit a Tessera crown in under an hour. Simple changes to the surgery layout combined with the speed of firing has resulted in an even more efficient workflow that has benefitted my entire team. I feel that Tessera has been the final step on my journey into same-day dentistry and my ability to deliver a crown in under an hour.
Changes for the better
Digital dentistry has come a long way in recent years. It isn’t something to be afraid of but something to challenge yourself with and there’s never been a better time to get involved.
The whole experience has given me a real hunger for more knowledge and what I like is knowing that this journey has not ended. With digital dentistry, it’s so good to know that every year you’re succeeding a bit more than last and that you’re growing not only as a person but as a clinician. But ultimately, what matters most is that we’re able to give our patients the best of experiences to make them feel a lot more comfortable about their treatment while giving them the best of oral health.
To find out more about Dentsply Sirona’s CEREC CAD/CAM solutions, please visit https://www.dentsplysirona.com/en-gb/categories/cerec.html
To find out more about Dentsply Sirona’s CEREC Tessera CAD/CAM blocks, please visit https://www.dentsplysirona.com/en-gb/categories/restorative/cerec-tessera.html
You can visit the online Dentsply Sirona Academy for a wide range of education resources, video tutorials, courses and CPD webinars at dentsplysirona.com/ukeducation.
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Alison Simpson BDS is Director and Principal at Trinity Dental
