Why I Use: dentalcad
Versatile CAD/CAM software offers flexible treatment modules that increase efficiency and create a better patient experience
My initial interest in exocad came out of a desire to do my own wax-ups. I noticed that the lab was starting to send digital wax-up files instead of stone models, and I thought that if I used the same software, I could digitally design and 3D-print the wax-ups in-house. I was doing a lot of chairside bonding and composite veneers at the time, so it didn't make much sense for me to send a case to a lab and wait 3 weeks for them to wax it up.
Right away, I noticed how this simplified my workflow and made it easier for patients to move forward with treatment. Asking a patient to pay up to $1,000 for a wax-up is a lot of money to show upfront before they even decide to do the case. Now, I don’t even have to charge for the wax-up if I don’t want to, and I’m no longer at the mercy of the lab’s timeframe.
Moving Treatment Forward
With exocad, I'm able to have a more effective patient conversation around treatment. For example, a patient will come in for a consultation and say they’re interested in 4 or 6 veneers. So, I’ll use Smile Creator, a digital wax-up module, to show them chairside what their smile would look like with each option. I can use that design as my wax-up or 3D-print temporaries that will be ready for their prep appointment.
In many cases, single-tooth dentistry is enough to bring harmony to a smile. But patients looking for a smile makeover are often unsure of how many teeth need to be incorporated to reach their dream smile. Now, when I put 8 veneers up on the screen vs. 4, they immediately say, “That's the smile I want! I want the full 8.” So, this visual aspect helps patients understand and appreciate the treatment plan right out of the gate. This visualization also has opened up the discussion of other treatments that might not have been on the radar. I can show the patient on the wax-up where their teeth are popping through, and then we can have a conversation about doing Invisalign treatment prior to preparation of the veneers so we don't need to remove as much natural tooth. It's such a cool workfl ow for the patient, and it has a “wow” factor that makes them more confident in my abilities as a dentist.
Flexibility for Every Practice
Today, my four 3D printers are constantly running to fabricate casts, temps, surgical guides, night guards, and more. But when I first got the software, I only bought Smile Creator. The more I played with it, the more I thought, ‘Hey, I want to do this, too,’ and started to add on different treatment modules. I moved from 3D-printing my designs to learning how to make shell temps and fabricate night guards off my design to have ready when I insert veneers. This software has created such a seamless workflow in my offi ce that I can’t even remember how I did things before.
