CEREC MC XL Milling Unit

Single-tooth and quadrant restorations are created at the chairside in 1 treatment session.

Sirona recently introduced the CEREC MC XL milling unit to its family of CEREC products.

According to the manufacturer, this newest version of their milling unit provides increased precision, increased speed, and easier operation.

Marginal Fit

Sirona states that the CEREC MC XL milling unit has twice the milling resolution than the compact milling unit, providing for a better fit and smoother restoration surface. When the 7 evaluators were asked to rate the unit on the fit of the final milled restorations, 71% rated it as excellent. Commented 1 evaluator, “Restorations are more anatomically correct, with axial walls more properly contoured.”

Ergonomics

The evaluators were asked about the importance of ergonomics when purchasing a milling unit. Seventytwo percent said ergonomics are very important to important; 29% were neutral on the subject. The evaluators were then asked to rate the CEREC MC XL unit on ergonomics, and 85% rated it as excellent to very good. One evaluator said that the ergonomics of the MC XL are a “major improvement over the previous model. Worth the money.”

Bur Breakage

When asked about bur breakage, 57% of the evaluators rated CEREC MC XL as good, but 28% rated it as fair to poor; 1 evaluator gave it an excellent rating. Commented 1 evaluator, “With the MC XL, I have a lot more bur breakage. This is a big expense and time eater.” Another evaluator said, “Sometimes the step bur breaks toward the end of the mill and the unit does not recognize it. This usually has no effect on the final restoration.” According to information supplied by Sirona, the manufacturer recently introduced S burs, which have shown extended life in testing.

Milling Times

Sirona says that the CEREC MC XL milling times are shorter, allowing the user to perform single-tooth and quadrant restorations at the chairside in 1 treatment session. When the dentist evaluators were asked to rate the unit’s milling times, 86% rated them as excellent to very good. One evaluator noted that “this product has increased my efficiency and productivity.” A second evaluator said that it “usually takes 5 to 6 minutes for a crown,” and another said his milling times are “5 to 7 minutes.”

Anatomy Detail and Surface Smoothness

The evaluators were asked about the anatomy detail of the final restorations they milled with the CEREC MC XL. Eighty-six percent of the evaluators rated the anatomy detail as excellent to very good. One evaluator commented, “What I put in is exactly what mills out.” The evaluators were also asked to rate the surface smoothness of the final restorations they created in the milling unit. Eighty-six percent of the evaluators rated the unit excellent to very good; the remaining evaluators rated it as good. One of the evaluators who rated the unit as very good for surface smoothness of the final restoration commented that he thinks surface smoothness is “not as important as fit and quick mill times.”

Overall Satisfaction

At the end of the evaluation, the evaluators were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with the CEREC MC XL milling unit. Six of the evaluators gave an overall satisfaction rating of excellent to very good; 1 rated it as good. One evaluator stated that “anything that simplifies the process is a time saver.” Another also commented on time savings, saying, “Easy = time savings and means it will get used more.” A third evaluator noted that “patients love to watch it work.”