Thanks to the use of new technologies, we can level up dental services, and in many cases significantly shorten the duration of the treatment plan, while offering a high standard and impressive effects. Digital dentistry extends to all areas of modern dentistry, however, we use its benefits mostly in prosthetics and implant prosthetics. To illustrate its phenomenon better, we can compare it to the Formula 1.
In Formula 1 there is a constant pursuit of technical innovations that pushes the entire automotive industry forward, there is a constant race against time, and there is also a lot of money. The digitization of prosthetic services has brought the formula of providing this type of services closer to the rules applying in Formula 1.
Preparation of dental crowns, bridges or veneers in one day, without the need to make impressions and many hours of involvement of prosthetic technicians? Yes, it is possible nowadays. One-day prosthetics allows to permanently and effectively improve the quality of life of patients and provide them with the aesthetic results they want. It is possible thanks to digitally assisted treatment with the use of modern technologies – intraoral scanners, CAD/CAM software and other devices thanks to which digital files materialize. A key aspect is also the teamwork of dentists of various specializations and dental technicians.
In the traditional approach, making porcelain crowns means casting and processing plaster models as well as preparing wax molds and changing them into metal molds, on which porcelain is then applied. Long-term high-temperature firing of porcelain is also necessary. In turn, when creating veneers using a standard method, the plaster model is duplicated and handmade.
The moment digital solutions entered dental offices, prosthetic works can be performed even on the same day. It is possible for both single and multi-point work performed on the Patient's own teeth, such as veneers, crowns and small bridges. Digitization allows not only to save time, but also increases the durability of the prosthetic work, its fit in the bite, the accuracy of adherence to the tooth, and also allows less interference in the tooth. Digitally assisted implant-prosthetic treatment reduces the risk of errors. When designing prosthetic works, the computer system automatically verifies at an early stage whether all the necessary parameters have been met.
In the case of one-day dentistry, the "max-mini-max" philosophy is gaining importance, which means obtaining the best possible treatment results with minimal dentist intervention. However, this approach requires a lot of attention and precision in the planning process before treatment. Therefore, during the first consultation, the attending physician assesses the condition of the Patient's teeth and sets their expectations in great detail. Then, based on medical records and consultations with other specialists involved in the treatment process, the dentist develops a detailed treatment plan. As part of one-day prosthetics, the dentist prepares the Patient's teeth during the morning visit. If a non-invasive procedure is performed, it is only necessary to thoroughly clean the teeth. In the case of a micro-invasive protocol, minimal correction of the shape of the teeth, alignment of sharp edges and smoothing of protrusions will be necessary. It may also turn out that the dentist will perform the full preparatory procedure. Next, with the help of a scanner, the shape of the teeth is transferred to a digital file, thanks to which the technician will know exactly what the final prosthetic work should look like. The prosthetic works made on this basis are placed in the patient’s mouth on the same day during the evening visit. The scanner can also be used earlier to determine the shape of the teeth expected by the Patient.