Dear CAD/CAM Insider,
Oral surgeons from Syria transplanted a third molar in a 24-year-old female with signs of infection. A 3D-printed replica of the transplanted tooth was crucial to the procedure's success, according to the authors of the case report.
The oral surgery team used the 3D-printed molar to prepare the site, allowing the clinician to move the actual transplanted molar from one site to the next in 20 seconds. You can read more about the procedure and the successful outcome in this edition's Insider Exclusive.
Also new in the CAD/CAM Community, implant specialist Dr. Edward Harsini breaks down the pros and cons of zirconia versus titanium implants. While zirconia has emerged as a leading metal-free implant alternative, the traditional titanium implant still comes out on top for durability.
The DrBicuspid.com editors attended the recent Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting, and we couldn't pass up a presentation on the benefits of 3D printing for dental practices. The presentation calculated the dollar savings associated with digital dentistry. For instance, doing implant planning and surgical guides in-house can save dentists more than $300.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has traditionally been treated with the help of a continuous positive airway pressure mask, but a case report shows that computer-designed and manufactured appliances may also help to improve the condition. In the report, a woman who used a digitally designed sleep appliance reported positive improvements for her OSA and temporomandibular joint dysfunction.
Finally, members of the U.S. military have developed a way to use dental CAD equipment to scan faces and create custom devices that provide safer, more effective targeted radiation therapy. The process has not only improved radiation treatment, but it also shows the importance of interprofessional collaboration.
