CAD/CAM has forever changed dental technology. And thanks to companies such as Denmark-based 3Shape A/S, the capabilities of this technology will continue to be pushed to new heights.

3Shape has already claimed a spot as a leader of the CAD/CAM evolution thanks to their scanner and software, both of which continuously advance so that dental restorations are more affordable, more consistent and more efficient than ever before.

Recognized as the most versatile CAD/CAM solution on the market today, 3Shape calls its latest scanner, the D700, and upgraded DentalDesigner™ software, the culmination of its scanning expertise. Glidewell Laboratories agrees, as hands-on production experience has proven that no other system can match the capabilities of the 3Shape scanner.

Composed of a three-axis motion system and two-camera setup, the D700 Scanner delivers high quality scans of models, bites, customized implant abutment wax-ups, and even impressions. Forty percent faster than its predecessor, the D640, the D700 Scanner offers system improvements including:

• No bite registration needed, saving lab time,
  labor & material cost
• Increased accuracy (‹20 microns)
• Adaptive scanning
• Quick scan speed

In the past, CAD/CAM fabricated restorations cost the laboratory more than a conventional crown to produce. This is because the system lacked speed, and the designer would spend precious laboratory production time waiting for the scanner to finish. But with 3Shape, the opposite is true.

“The D700 Scanner outruns the designers. It’s a very efficient scanner, it takes very little time, and is very accurate,” says Rudy Ramirez, CDT, Glidewell Fixed Prosthodontics General Manager.

“You begin to see some possibilities that do not exist with other digital systems,” Ramirez continues. “And we are just in the beginning stages—3Shape is continuously improving the system, with an emphasis on how it performs for the end user.”

The improved 2009 DentalDesigner software also offers exciting new features, including a customizable morphology library. As every laboratory owner wants to market their own unique crown, this tool grants them the ability to have their stylized crown easily reproduced by any employee in the lab.

“Many lab owners sit at the bench and produce crowns because their doctors have become accustomed to their particular style of crown,” Ramirez explains. But with 3Shape, “You can make your best crown, scan it, and add it to your own custom library.” Or just choose one of the 12 morphology libraries offered through the software upgrade.

Another key advance in the DentalDesigner software is ease of use. The number of clicks required to make a crown are far less than any other system, and the results are superior. “Our lab has never witnessed before the level of accuracy provided by 3Shape,” Ramirez says.