Dentist Finds Easy Solution for In-Office Milling, Improves Care and Profitability
CAD/CAM technologies, says Robin D. Henderson, DMD, MS, have dramatically transformed dentistry for both his patients and his practice, enhancing ease of use, patient comfort, and restorative accuracy, thanks to digital platforms. For a dentist just starting out in digital dental manufacturing, Henderson admits the choices can be overwhelming and it can be difficult to know where to begin.
In his 17-year-old multi-doctor practice specializing in implants and periodontics in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Henderson has seen this transformation firsthand through the integration of an array of digital dental products from Axsys Dental Solutions. He first encountered Axsys about 2 years ago when he sought to acquire an in-office mill so the practice could produce its own custom titanium implant abutments and titanium implant bars for overdentures and fixed restorative cases. He was introduced to the company's InPractice™suite of products, which are designed to let practitioners provide patients a full spectrum of in-office dental restorations.
Axsys has been in the CAD/CAM business for decades and the company's knowledge about manufacturing, Henderson says, is “spot on.” Axsys' experience spans a wide variety of industries and goes back to the days of computer numerical control (CNC), a precursor to CAD/CAM. The company has worked extensively with virtually every type of CNC machine tool from a wide range of tool builders and distribution partners. In other words, Henderson attests, they've long been intimately involved in practically all aspects of computer-aided manufacturing.
“Their CAD/CAM software package is extremely robust and can do just about anything in dentistry,” he advocates. “The complexity of the software is intense, but with a short learning curve and practice, it far surpasses what other software platforms have to offer. As far as functionality and customizability, this has it all.”
Henderson notes that Axsys' products are part of an open system, allowing practitioners to choose their own combination to provide a solution that fits their specific budget and needs. The cameo™ DentalCAD suite provides software that supports the design and manufacture of a wide range of dental prosthesis and restorative components for single- and multiple-unit restorations.
For Henderson, the centerpiece of the InPracticesuite is the Versamill 5X-200 precision dental machining center. The Versamill 5X-200 can be driven by any open CAM system and use material that is readily available on the open market. Calling it a “superb machine,” Henderson points out that the inner “guts” of the Versamill 5X-200 are industrial grade, which he says is rare for machinery in the dental CAM space.
The Versamill 5X-200 combines rigid machine structure, closed-loop servo-driven motion control, and a 60,000-rpm, 3kW spindle, enabling the mill to machine hard and soft materials while maintaining fine tolerances. “The Versamill 5X-200 can reliably turn out product without the need for repairs or downtime. The return on investment far surpasses any piece of dental equipment I've purchased,” Henderson asserts.
He acknowledges that transitioning to digital manufacturing can be intimidating for a practitioner. The process of using CAD/CAM software involves multiple steps and several programs, but the workflow is seamless due to all of the automation. To ease the transition, Axsys provides support through a team of application engineers available to answer any questions that arise during use.
“The immersive training that you get when you first purchase one of Axsys' machines is paramount to long-term success and transitioning smoothly into the daily use of the equipment and software. It seems daunting at first, as there are many ways the software can be used, but the Axsys team takes their time so you learn the basics. If you need them, they'll be there,” Henderson acknowledges.
“I could continue on with praise for Axsys Dental Solutions or the Versamill 5X-200. Every day, I am amazed at how the CAD/CAM process works and how easy it is to use right at my fingertips,” he concludes.
Axsys Dental Solutions
29627 West Tech Dr
Wixom, MI 48393
855-687-7941
axsysdental.com
