The CEREC ® AC with Omnicam
A perfect fit for any CAD/CAM workflow
Scott Pope, DDS
During my last 25 years of practicing dentistry, I have seen many positive changes and technological advancements in our profession. I have also experienced my share of trials and tribulations attempting to incorporate many of these new technologies into my practice. Over time, I have become a big supporter of CAD/CAM and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging and understand the advantages and value that these digital technologies bring to a dental practice. As an advanced CEREC and CBCT trainer and beta tester, I have also come to realize that you need to be willing to step outside of your comfort zone to effectively incorporate new technologies into your practice.
If you have not yet stepped outside of your comfort zone and embraced digital dentistry, the time is now. Dentsply Sirona's CEREC® AC with Omnicam can provide a very smooth and efficient CAD/CAM workflow for your dental practice. Omnicam's advantages are plentiful, including lower supply and lab costs, increased revenue, and numerous applications.
The CEREC Omnicam facilitates powder-free scanning, and produces scans in natural color. It also allows you to determine the color of the scanned teeth within the software. Because of its sleek design, it is easy to scan areas of the mouth that would normally be difficult or uncomfortable to capture with traditional impressions. In addition, the images can be used for aligner treatment or digitally sent to the laboratory of your choice with CEREC Connect. Digital dentistry is already firmly established in the dental laboratory arena; they are utilizing the same technologies to fabricate dental restorations and appliances. The capabilities and options available with CEREC can help any dental practice raise its level of care and improve patient satisfaction.
The digital workflow enables average appointment times of less than 1.5 hours and quick acquisition of partial or full arches. Because some doctors are more hands-on, but others prefer to delegate more responsibilities to their assistants, the CEREC software's ease of use permits flexibility in how a dental practice operates the system and optimizes the doctor/assistant handoff. For example, my practice will schedule 30 minutes with the doctor for a single CEREC restoration. This allows me sufficient time to prepare the tooth, scan with the CEREC Omnicam, design the porcelain restoration, and send it to the mill. Following this, I hand off the restoration to my assistant to complete the fabrication process and prepare it for cementation. If the restoration is crystallized or sintered in a furnace, this phase normally takes about 30 minutes. When the restoration is finished, I will return to the operatory and cement it, which uses up the final 10 minutes of my time. Because we only need to schedule a half hour with the doctor, the process is incredibly efficient and allows our practice to add additional patients and emergencies into the schedule, dramatically increasing revenue and patient satisfaction.
Are you ready to step outside of your comfort zone a little and experience everything CEREC can offer your practice? It's not as big of a step as you might think. You can jump right into full chairside CAD/CAM or just start with digital impressions and scale up to chairside if and when you are ready. I guarantee that you and your staff will experience a new enthusiasm and excitement for dentistry.
Key Takeaways
Enhances patient satisfaction by increasing procedural efficiency and reducing chair time.
Improves access to areas of the mouth that may be difficult to reach using traditional
impression materials.
Features anti-shake technology and lightweight precision handling to provide extreme comfort.
Includes CEREC software that is logical and easy to understand and utilize.
About the Author
Scott Pope, DDS
Private Practice
Walnut Creek, California
Manufacturer Information | Dentsply Sirona • dentsplysirona.com/cerec • 844-848-0137
