Category Spotlight: CAD/CAM Milling Blocks

Same-day CAD/CAM dentistry allows clinicians to be considerably more conservative in how they approach their design to certain restorations. Because there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all block solution” for CAD/CAM, clinicians like having multiple materials to choose from to handle nearly all clinical situations they encounter in the operatory.

“From my experience, Henry Schein is the global leader in CAD/CAM technologies, and that’s a really good reason to partner with them for your material selection. Also, from a cost perspective, they’re very competitive,” said Dr. Ben Jump.

Different materials provide varied benefits depending on the clinical needs, and some materials are better suited for an interior esthetic solution vs others that might meet the needs of a stronger posterior crown. A key to clinical success to any restoration is the dentist needs to understand the material properties when they’re selecting the CAD/ CAM material of choice for that clinical situation.

“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all block, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly requires you to have a more comprehensive knowledge of materials than if you were relying on lab technicians. That’s why everyone should develop a solid understanding of different block choices and their clinical indications,” Dr. Jump said.

Finding restorative success is all about a balance of strength and esthetics and the composition of material depending on the area of the mouth. If protocol is followed and time is taken with the right material, clinicians are able to create that naturallooking restoration right beside a natural tooth and not be able to tell the difference.

“I think that by just being able to have better clarity on the software side and better equipment on the hardware side, we’ll continue to see the blocks evolve and to see more material choices come down the road,” Dr. Jump added.