Straumann is launching upgrades to its CAD/CAM system, the company announced at the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting this week. Some elements are ready, and others are scheduled to launch later this year.
Under the new umbrella brand of Straumann Digital Solutions, the company now offers computer-guided surgery, intraoral scanning, and CAD/CAM prosthetics to specialists, general dentists, and dental laboratories in various markets around the world. Straumann's integrated digital solutions now support implant placement, restoration, and aesthetic performance.
The company's expanding portfolio of digital products includes three competencies: computer-guided surgery, intraoral scanning, and CAD/CAM prosthetics.
The combined use of 3D imaging digital design software to plan and execute precise implant placement is an emerging trend, the company said in a press release. Straumann entered this field in 2009 through the acquisition of the dental business of IVS Solutions, a German company specializing in computer-guided surgery software applications, including surgical template design and fabrication. Using a CT image of the patient's jaw, the dental surgeon plans the position, angulation, and depth of the implant on a computer using sophisticated planning software.
The data are then used to produce a plastic surgical template that fits onto the patient's teeth or gum. The template incorporates sleeves that guide drills, taps, and profilers, designed for optimal implant placement. Computer-guided surgery is designed to offer the dentist a clear view of the bone condition, the position of nerve and vascular structures, and the final implant location. It simplifies the planning and execution of complex procedures, reducing the risk of surgical and prosthetic complications.
Straumann is rolling out the technology internationally, announcing in Chicago that it will be available in North America later this year.
Straumann also announced that its CAD/CAM service is now connected to Cadent's iTero intraoral scanning system, designed to enable the dentist to create a 3D image of the patient's teeth using a digital scanner inside the mouth.
Straumann's CAD/CAM portfolio features scanners, software, and prosthetics in a range of materials, including polymer, metals, and ceramics. Straumann said its CAD/CAM system will be capable of scanning solid master, section-cut, and antagonist models and will include an integrated Web camera to facilitate a new level of online service support. Through its partnership with Ivoclar Vivadent, Straumann also offers glass ceramics for aesthetic restorations.
Apart from the new scanning capabilities, software, and materials, Straumann said it will launch a number of additional CAD/CAM features this year, including veneers, inlays, and onlays.
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