Planmeca Brings Speed, Accuracy & Versatility to CAD/CAM
With a new mill and enhanced scanning and software capabilities, the Planmeca FIT system makes single-visit dentistry easier for the practice and better for the patient
Planmeca is breaking new ground with digital solutions that enable dentists to take their dentistry to a new level and serve their patients with greater speed and accuracy than ever before. Known for its innovative imaging and single-visit dentistry technology, as well as unparalleled support of the dental practices using these solutions, Planmeca has introduced significant enhancements to its Planmeca FIT CAD/CAM system.
The state-of-the-art system includes the Planmeca Emerald S intraoral scanner, Planmeca PlanCAD design software, and the newly unveiled Planmeca PlanMill 35. In addition to improving upon the speed and accuracy of its predecessor, the wet or dry mill opens the door for doctors to choose from a wider array of restorative materials, including zirconia, glass and hybrid ceramics, composites, and more.
“The Planmeca PlanMill 35 is an evolutionary product, because it’s built on a foundation of a lot of great attributes that we had previously,” said Gavin Sternberg, national manager of CAD/CAM at Planmeca USA. “The new mill has even greater speed and accuracy, which leads to better-fitting crowns. It also has the robust durability that’s been proven over many years with our systems. With the addition of dry milling, clinicians have more options for the materials they use in their restorations as they deliver single-visit dentistry.” In particular, the new mill enables practices to streamline their zirconia restorations—which have become more favorable for both strength and esthetics. Unlike a wet-only mill, dry milling with the Planmeca PlanMill 35 offers quicker fabrication and sintering. Instead of grinding the zirconia, the dry mill cuts the material using diamond-coated carbide burs, which results in more detailed prosthesis.
“If you have someone who is a bruxer or who is hitting particularly hard on a contact and, therefore, on a crown, the zirconia will hold up much longer than the glass ceramics that have been available,” said Lou Vodopivec, vice president of marketing and education at Planmeca USA. “Also, the world of zirconia is evolving much more quickly right now. Zirconia restorations are becoming more esthetic to match the strength that they’re known for.” He added that many clinicians may also choose zirconia for posterior restorations due to its cost-effectiveness.
For those doctors who do not wish to use a dry mill, the Planmeca PlanMill 35 is available as a wet mill for blocks, and the dry-mill functionality can be added at a later date without the need for a technician.
An Easy Step into CAD/CAM Dentistry
The mill’s user interface provides easy guidance to the dental team—whether for mill maintenance, switching from wet to dry, or loading in a crown. “The screen really walks you through every step of the process and makes it very easy for the staff to use and maintain the milling unit,” Vodopivec noted.
While the Planmeca FIT Plus system—which includes the larger PlanMill 50 S milling unit—is a more advanced CAD/CAM system for those dentists who wish to bring all of their lab capabilities in-house, the newly enhanced Planmeca FIT system is ideal for any dentist interested in providing single-visit dentistry.
“The Planmeca FIT system with the PlanMill 35 is the ideal starting point for single-visit dentistry—for crowns, inlays, onlays, veneers, and more,” Vodopivec said. “With this system, you can be off and running quickly.”
“The Planmeca FIT system with the PlanMill 35 is the ideal starting point for single-visit dentistry—for crowns, inlays, onlays, veneers, and more. With this system, you can be off and running quickly.”
- Lou Vodopivec, Vice President, Marketing and Education
A Fully Enhanced System
In addition to the new Planmeca PlanMill 35, the two other components of the Planmeca FIT system also have been improved upon to provide a better user experience. Enhancements to the Planmeca Emerald S intraoral scanner include a dramatic increase in scanning speed, improved accuracy, and ease-of-use, while the Planmeca PlanCAD design software has become further integrated into the Planmeca Romexis platform and allows clinicians to design a crown in minutes.
Planmeca Emerald S offers a particularly quick and comfortable intraoral scanning experience for patients due to its small size and speed. Its portability is another advantage. Unlike a scanner that is confined to a cart system, the Planmeca Emerald S can be easily shared among operatories—simply unplug it and you’re off to connect in another operatory. The scanner features an ergonomic standard tip as well as a SlimLine option for hard-to-reach areas or patients with smaller mouths.
“That is a very unique feature,” Sternberg said of the autoclavable tips. “While the standard tip is used most of the time, you may get to a distal area or have a patient who can’t open very wide, and you can simply pop on the SlimLine tip and just fill in the missing information. You don’t have to start over again.”
Supporting the Practice Throughout the Journey
To help dental teams integrate and thrive with digital technologies, Planmeca offers unrivaled support before, during, and after a practice makes an investment. Whereas another manufacturer may leave training and support to the distributor and a third-party education facility, Planmeca works directly with the practice.
“We have our own employees who come to your office to get you started,” Vodopivec noted. “We have our own two-day course that we manage directly, primarily in our headquarters in Hoffman Estates, IL. If you have a question after that, you can call our CAD/CAM support team. We’ll log in and help you with a crown design or whatever you may need. We own the entire training and support process.”
For more information about the new Planmeca FIT system, click here.
