Wherever you are in the digital dentistry adoption cycle, dental milling machines should at least be on your radar. With technology and availability constantly improving, there’s nothing stopping any dental clinic or lab from enjoying the advantages. From chairside dental mills built for same-day dentistry, to compact systems for blank- and block-processing, the benefits are undeniable.
4 Benefits of Dental Milling Machines
Faster Turnaround Times
Even if you aren’t ready for chairside technology, dental milling machines help dental labs build your application faster. Even better, lab technicians can quickly determine if a margin or bite is not accurate. They can then contact the clinic to get a new impression or scan, for faster and more efficient corrections.
Greater Accuracy
Speed is usually gained at the cost of accuracy. Except with dental milling machines, including chairside machines. A scientific study at the University of Washington proved that, using the VHF Z4 chairside dental mill, users can drill screw-access channels for hybrid implant restorations into ceramic blocks with no significant difference in flexural strength compared to factory-fabricated materials, known as “meso” blocks.
Lower Costs
The meso blocks are significantly more expensive, and the laboratory design method requires a more complex CAD process. So processing standard blocks with
a dental milling machine means less cost for materials and less need to maintain material inventory.
Better Results for Patients
With a marginal fit that’s at least as good as restorations made using traditional impressions, your patients won’t notice a difference in digitally produced restorations. Recent developments & results in digital dentistry indicate that long-term survival rates are comparable between digital and traditional milling techniques. But it is the exponentially faster turnaround times, including the potential for single visit restorations, where patients and dental professionals can enjoy improved results. By putting a restoration in place sooner, patients get relief and a return to normalcy sooner too.
If you found this post helpful, check out our recent article “Applications of 3D Printing in Orthodontics“.
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