The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine is the first in the nation to establish opioid-free pain management guidelines for the vast majority of procedures performed in all of its clinics.

For decades, opioid pain relievers have been routinely prescribed for dental procedures, including the surgical extraction of wisdom teeth – often a teenager’s first exposure to opioids. Since current evidence shows that alternative, non-opioid medications generally work as well or even better for managing pain after dental work, without the side effects of nausea, vomiting, constipation and potential for misuse, Pitt Dental Medicine has developed a set of updated pain management guidelines to help practitioners make the best choices for their patients.

“It’s not a cookbook approach to how to take care of patients,” said Bernard J. Costello, D.M.D., M.D. dean of the Pitt School of Dental Medicine. “This allows clinicians to make good choices based on what they know of the biology of the patient and the patient’s concerns.”

The Pitt Dental Medicine guidelines advocate that clinicians prescribe non-opioid pain-relievers first whenever possible.

If a patient can’t tolerate one of several opioid alternatives, or requires additional pain relief as a rescue medication, clinicians should: 

  Choose the lowest potency possible.

  Limit to a three-day supply. 

  Check the Pennsylvania Patient’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) database.

If the patient is already taking opioids for chronic pain or a substance use disorder, additional opioids should not be prescribed without first consulting a pain management clinician and formulating an alternative plan.

The Appalachian corridor, which includes Western Pennsylvania, is a hot zone for opioid addiction. With deaths occurring every day from opioid abuse, and costs of rehabilitation care approaching $90,000 per hospitalization, deliberate strategies to minimize dental pain after treatment and eliminate the need for opioid pain relievers are now available to combat this public health crisis in the Appalachian region.

“Pitt Dental Medicine is leading the way with the adoption of this new protocol by teaching our students and residents the best way to manage pain effectively without the unnecessary risk of opioid dependence,” Costello said. “When these trainees move on to other practices, they’ll take these opioid-free guidelines with them.”

To read this release online or share it, visit https://www.upmc.com/media/news/111419-opioid-free.

About the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine

Established in 1896 as an independent institution named the Pittsburgh Dental College, the School of Dental Medicine was incorporated into the University of Pittsburgh in 1905. The school offers a four-year predoctoral Program leading to a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree, an international Advanced Standing Program for graduates of foreign dental schools, and post-graduate residency or fellowship programs in 12 disciplines. Additionally, the School of Dental Medicine offers the only dental hygiene certificate program in Pennsylvania affiliated with a major university, as well as a dental hygiene baccalaureate degree program. Pitt Dental Medicine’s comprehensive clinical offerings include the Multidisciplinary Implant Center and the Center for Patients with Special Needs, one of the few centers in the U.S. dedicated to training future dentists to care for patients with a wide range of disabilities. Recognized for excellence in research, the School of Dental Medicine is ranked fifth for National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) support. For more information about the School of Dental Medicine, visit www.dental.pitt.edu.

The powerful, two-day conference is designed to create an unparalleled experience for women in dentistry

Glidewell Dental, an industry-leading provider of dental laboratory services, products, technologies and clinical education, will host the Guiding Leaders Summit, a dynamic conference designed to equip women in dentistry with the latest dental procedures and leadership training that elevates them to new levels. This powerful, two-day event will take place April 24–25, 2020, at the luxurious Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, California.

"We're excited to create this extraordinary opportunity to empower women in dentistry," said Stephenie Goddard, executive vice president at Glidewell Dental and visionary of Guiding Leaders. "We believe in being innovative, so we have designed an exceptional conference that is intended to provide a unique experience that's unlike other dentistry events."

The Guiding Leaders Summit will include prominent speakers, breakout sessions, panel discussions, a vendor expo and an onsite booth to update professional headshots. Each morning, yoga sessions will be offered at the beach, and participants will have ample opportunity for networking during the event including hosted cocktail receptions.

The conference will provide a range of continuing education courses that cover diverse areas from clinical and digital dentistry to practice management and leadership development. Attendees will have an opportunity to select up to eight sessions from topics such as Choosing the Right Cutting-Edge Technology to Grow Your Practice, 7 Simple Strategies to Build a Successful Brand on Social Media, and Reduce Stress by Unlocking the Power of Mindfulness.

Dr. Rella Christensen, who co-founded the Clinicians Report Foundation, a nonprofit, educational research institute, will be the keynote speaker on the opening day. As a renowned author, researcher and lecturer, Dr. Christensen will share with attendees the latest in clinical research as well as her experiences as a woman in dentistry. "I'm excited about speaking at the inaugural Guiding Leaders Summit. It is going to be a phenomenal event for women in our profession," said Dr. Christensen. "I look forward to sharing the information and experiences I have had with the new leaders."

The conference will be a well-rounded event where women can discover current dentistry trends, develop as a leader, as well as build a strong support network with colleagues. "It is essential to have a variety of tools to be successful within this field," said Goddard. "Therefore, we want women to leave the summit equipped in more than one area. Our goal is for them to receive educational training while being rejuvenated so they return to the practice ready to make a bigger impact in dentistry."

The Guiding Leaders Summit is geared toward women dentists, hygienists and office staff, as there will be topics that are relevant to all roles within the practice. Participants can earn up to nine hours of continuing education credits by attending both days. Early-bird registration for the event ends in January. For more information or to register, visit: guidingleaders.com/summit.

About Glidewell Dental

Glidewell Dental is among the world's largest providers of custom restorative services and is recognized as an industry-leading materials and devices manufacturer. Established in 1970 in Orange County, California, Glidewell continues to build on its storied history of technological innovation, continuing education and a commitment to making comprehensive, high-quality treatment more accessible to patients in the U.S. and internationally. For more information, please visit: glidewelldental.com.

exocad GmbH announces the release of the latest software version ChairsideCAD 2.3 Matera. ChairsideCAD, the first hardware-neutral CAD solution for the clinical environment, was first launched last year. With the new release, the company is now offering the widest range of indications in the market for chairside CAD software and at the same time covering the broadest spectrum of integrated devices. The software is intuitive, so users can easily, economically and reliably deliver esthetically demanding restorations in a single patient session.

With the new ChairsideCAD 2.3 Matera modules, the software can intelligently expand the individual practice's offerings. Smile Creator is the ideal tool for 2D / 3D esthetic planning of restorations, ensuring predictable results. Model Creator is suitable for creating physical models from digital impression scans. With Jaw Motion Import, patient-specific jaw movements are imported from various measuring systems and used directly for optimal design of the occlusal surface. The DICOM Viewer impresses with its outstanding speed when loading CB/CT images, which can be visualized together with intraoral scans and construction data. In addition, patient photos and three-dimensional facial scans can be used in combination to create a comprehensive fully digital representation of the patient.

The Implant Module enables the design of abutments, screw-retained crowns and bridges. The software and its modules are integrated on exocad's proven and robust software platform, which has been successfully used for more than ten years. This has several advantages: ChairsideCAD Matera always runs reliably  - even with complex restorations - and follows the same intuitive operating workflow as all exocad software applications. The wizard-driven user guidance allows precise results to be achieved quickly and with impressive quality. The combined platform with the world's leading CAD laboratory software exocad DentalCADalso opens up unparalleled possibilities for digital collaboration with tens of thousands of laboratories. If so desired, each step of the digital workflow can be outsourced to a preferred laboratory, allowing dentists to save time and rely on the expertise of their partner.

Further highlights of the new Matera release include:

  Greatest flexibility in the selection of scanners and milling machines while offering simplified integration 

  Perfectly integrated production system: the positioning of the reconstruction in the milling blank takes place directly in the CAD workflow. Predictable results can be achieved quickly, especially when using color scans and multilayer materials 

  Control multiple milling machines directly from within the exocad software 

  Seamless integration with exocad's guided surgery solution exoplan

  Improved photorealistic representation of the finished restoration. An interactive 3D preview can also be exported as a web link and viewed in all popular browsers - even on mobile devices - without the need to install software

ChairsideCAD was recently awarded the prestigious Cellerant "Best of Class" Technology Award in the USA for its unique, open software architecture and was the first CAD software ever to win this award. The independence from devices and manufacturers is a significant advantage: "Dentists are free to choose their hardware because our software seamlessly integrates itself into a heterogeneous device environment, so that users can easily combine different intraoral scanners with almost all 3D printers and milling units - whether in their own practice or with a laboratory," explained Tillmann Steinbrecher, CEO at exocad. "We are delighted to receive the Cellerant award and pleased that the independent jury recognizes our software as pioneering digital technology in the clinical environment," added Larry Bodony, President of exocad America. "This award encourages and drives us to further develop our open software architecture."

ChairsideCAD 2.3 Matera is now available in the EU, USA (currently without the Implant Module), Japan, South Korea and Australia. Since 2018, exocad has named its releases after current European Capitals of Culture and has selected the Italian city Matera for this year's title.

More information about ChairsideCAD and resellers at exocad.com/chairsidecad

Information on the Cellerant Best of Class Technology Award: https://cellerantconsulting.com/

About exocad GmbH

exocad GmbH is a dynamic and innovative software company committed to expanding the possibilities of digital dentistry and providing OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) with flexible, reliable, and easy-to-use CAD/CAM software for dental labs and dental practices. exocad software has been chosen by leading OEMs worldwide for integration into their dental CAD/CAM offerings, and thousands of exocad DentalCAD licenses are sold each year. For more information and a list of exocad reseller partners, please visit exocad.com.

Finding local anesthetic that is safe for patients with cardiovascular disease during dental procedures is extremely important. A new study, published in Anesthesia Progress, compares the use of two different drug combinations in older adults to understand the effects on blood pressure and heart rate during tooth extractions.

As the global population of older adults (aged > 65 years) grows, the need to find pain management techniques that take systemic diseases into account increases. Currently, cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in older adults. Finding a local anesthetic that does not affect blood pressure or heart rate during dental procedures is extremely important.

Researchers from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University and the Kyushu Dental University published a study in the current issue of Anesthesia Progress that compared the use of two different drug combinations in older adults during tooth extractions to determine local anesthetic effects on blood pressure and heart rate.

The researchers conducted a crossover study with 22 older adults, aged 65 to 86 years, in need of at least two maxillary tooth extractions. A combination of either lidocaine and adrenalin (L + AD) or prilocaine with felypressin (P + FP) was administered before tooth extraction. After anesthetic injection, blood pressure and heart rate were measured every 2.5 minutes for 20 minutes. Dental extractions in each subject were performed 5 days apart, in which L + AD was used for one extraction and P + FP was used for the other, so the researchers were able to examine the effect of both drug combinations on the same subject.

The researchers found an increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the P + FP group at all timepoints compared with the L + AD group. The systolic pressure did increase at the initial timepoint in the L + AD but then stayed constant throughout the procedure. However, when heart rate was measured, the researchers found an increase at all timepoints with L + AD and no real difference with P + FP.

The researchers conclude that in older adults who have blood pressure concerns, a combination of L + AD should be considered when performing dental procedures. In older adults with increased heart rates, the P + FP combination should be administered. The researchers suggest further studies are necessary to find more information on selecting safe local anesthetics for older adults with cardiovascular disease during dental procedures.

Full text of the article, “Cardiovascular Comparison of 2 Types of Local Anesthesia With Vasoconstrictor in Older Adults: A Crossover Study,” Anesthesia Progress, Vol. 66, No. 3, 2019, is now available here: https://www.anesthesiaprogress.org/doi/full/10.2344/anpr-66-02-04.

About Anesthesia Progress

Anesthesia Progress is the official publication of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (ADSA). The quarterly journal is dedicated to providing a better understanding of the advances being made in the science of pain and anxiety control in dentistry. The journal invites submissions of review articles, reports on clinical techniques, case reports, and conference summaries. To learn more about the ADSA, visit: https://www.adsahome.org/.

Dandy, the dental platform delivering straighter, healthier and more confident smiles through a combination of in-person treatment and advanced virtual care, launched today in Philadelphia. The new service directly addresses the lack of medical supervision provided by existing DTC companies in the clear aligner market. Philadelphians can now visit MeetDandy.com to book a Snapshot appointment with a local dentist, where they will get a 3D scan, X-rays, a full dental check-up, and then receive their custom aligners at their door within days.

Dandy has partnered with dentists in Philadelphia to elevate the sometimes stress-inducing oral care experience. These specialists will address any underlying issues that may mitigate the success of a straightening treatment. Most patients will see their Dandy dentist two to three times during the process to modify their aligners with attachments or to undergo in-person procedures that are often necessary to deliver optimal patient outcomes. Users easily stay on track with their treatment by periodically sharing their progress directly from the Dandy app.

"At Dandy, we recognize how a smile can impact a person's health, self-esteem and social life. Unfortunately, people hesitate to correct issues because of high costs and fear of shoddy work," said Toni Oloko, co-founder of Dandy. "That is why we designed Dandy to be an easy and user-friendly dental experience - both in the office and at home - all at an affordable price point."

The dental tech space has exploded in the past year with many DTC companies emerging to offer a solution to oral problems and eliminate the fears and headaches people associate with dentistry. Unfortunately, without the direct involvement of a dentist in patient care, these at-home smile brands risk leaving their customers with frowns due to service that produces subpar results or even damage like tooth fractures, extreme sensitivity, nerve pain.

"Healthcare is a partnership between the clinician and the patient. Remote orthodontic care sacrifices the quality of patient care by removing the involvement of a dentist," said Bruce Freeman, DDS. "It is not possible to achieve an aesthetic smile and functional bite without being under the care of an orthodontist or dentist. Dandy has clearly taken this into account."

Pricing for Dandy's teeth alignment offering starts as low as $88/month or a one-time fee of $1,900 - initial check-up, aligners and retainer included. Patients may be able to use their insurance to cover up to half of their costs and can be paired with FSA/HSA, because they are under the care of a dentist. Dandy plans to expand nationwide in the coming months to cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and Miami. To learn more, visit MeetDandy.com.

About Dandy

Dandy is a venture-backed digital health tech start-up founded by Toni Oloko and Daniel Hanover. Dandy combines in-person dental treatment with advanced virtual care to deliver optimal patient outcomes while improving the dental experience for both patients and doctors. Dandy plans national US rollout in 2020.

November event provided clinical techniques and business strategies for success

Glidewell Dental, a leader in dental education and a technological innovator in restorative dentistry for nearly 50 years, wrapped up another successful Glidewell Dental Symposium, which took place in Orlando, Florida, on Nov. 8-9, 2019. Over 1,000 dental professionals attended the event, which brought together 21 world-class speakers and included the latest techniques, tools and technologies aimed at making general dentists more successful in their daily practices. The event featured an exceptional lineup of 14 fast-paced main podium presentations on the first day and 38 lectures and hands-on workshops on the second day. Sessions covered digital dentistry, esthetics, snoring and sleep apnea, implant dentistry, prosthetics and more.

"We are inspired by every dentist who attended the third annual Glidewell Symposium, and we couldn't be more pleased with the outcome of this outstanding event," said Dr. Neil Park, scientific chair of the Glidewell Symposium and vice president of clinical affairs at Glidewell Dental. "Considering the favorable responses we received from attendees, it is clear that dentists truly benefited from this unique educational format, which provided practical clinical and business information for improving patient treatment and advancing the dental practice."

Jim Glidewell, CDT, president and CEO of Glidewell Dental, opened the symposium with a very well-received presentation showing the latest dental technology. Courses were taught by world-renowned educators, practicing clinicians and thought leaders, and the keynote address, "The Emergency Implant," was delivered by legendary implant-dentistry pioneer Dr. Jack Hahn, who has been placing and restoring implants for nearly five decades. During both days of the event, attendees learned the emerging science, technology and clinical methodologies that have defined the field of dentistry.

As a complement to the impactful CE program, attendees enjoyed a special area of the symposium, where cutting-edge technologies from Glidewell's California campus were on display and in action. Attendees participated in interactive exhibits involving artificial intelligence challenges, futuristic robotics, an augmented reality tour of Glidewell's revolutionary intelligent manufacturing center, and other live demonstrations.

The symposium also highlighted advanced clinical and business solutions. For example, Glidewell announced the introduction of ZERAMEX® XT Implants, which are made from zirconium dioxide material and support outstanding osseointegration. The new 12-piece Newport Biologics™ Implant and Bone Grafting Instrument Kit was introduced to streamline surgical cases. And dentists explored sophisticated digital dentistry with the glidewell.io™ In-Office Solution, which gives clinicians the capability to scan, design and mill same-visit restorations right in their own dental practice.

"The symposium was established three years ago to facilitate collaboration among peers and to give clinicians a fast-paced, simplified approach for learning new tools and techniques to expand their service offerings, overcome challenges, and meet the needs of patients," said Dr. Park. "Judging by the packed course classrooms and the strong desire from clinicians to enhance their clinical skills, I believe we have accomplished that."

Glidewell faculty and staff are already working hard to bring dentists an even bigger and better weekend of education next year. The fourth annual Glidewell Dental Symposium will take place Nov. 6-7, 2020, at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, and will feature keynote speaker Dr. Gordon J. Christensen, a practicing prosthodontist who is also cofounder of Gordon J. Christensen Clinicians Report®. The symposium will once again provide a unique two-day educational format that has proven to be very popular. To learn more and to be the first to receive special early bird pricing information, visit glidewellsymposium.com.

About Glidewell Dental

Glidewell Dental is among the world's largest providers of custom restorative services and is recognized as an industry-leading materials and devices manufacturer. Established in 1970 in Orange County, California, Glidewell continues to build on its storied history of technological innovation and continuing education, committed to making comprehensive, high-quality treatment more accessible to patients in the U.S. and internationally. For more information, please visit glidewelldental.com.

DentLight Inc. announced today the release of Nano Black wireless loupe light that fits on all major loupes and eyewear.

The product is based on the new Nano Freedom² platform that the company has just introduced. It is the first integrated multi-wavelengths LED light that includes a selectable daylight or violet light for either hands-free general or fluorescent illumination. The wearable fluorescence technology in combination with regular loupes and SafeLoupe insert enhances the vision to observe malignant soft tissues, decays, composite, as well as dental caries as from the fluorescent contrast of healthy soft or hard tissue with the signature dark or red/orange fluorescence.

About DentLight

DentLight has been designing and manufacturing award-winning dental products in Plano, Texas for the past 14 years. Our mission is to assist clinicians in delivering better procedural outcomes through superior optics and optoelectronic devices. We do this by providing innovative product designs, particularly LED lighting based dental equipment including curing lights, oral exam systems (cancer screening and caries detection), headlights, loupes, video cameras, and eye protection kits.

Call 800-763-6901 or visit www.dentlight.com.

DentLight Inc. announced today the release of Nano Freedom² reconfigurable wireless loupe light that fits on all major loupes and eyewear.

The product is an upgrade of DentLight’s wearable headlights. A small LED lamp (5 grams) has two built-in connectors to link to either one battery pod for 3 hours non-stop operation, or two battery pods for 6 hours, or optionally to a battery pack (Nano 2S Plus) for 10 hours operation.

Unlike other wireless headlights that bear the battery weight on the operator’s nose making it very uncomfortable over a long working day, Nano Freedom² has the unique battery design that fits its battery on any frame temples. This allows the battery to disperse its weight evenly across the head resulting in much more comfortable user experience. In addition, the battery pod uses proximity sensor for touch-free activation and easy operation. The system is designed fo rdurability, flexibility, and minimum recurring cost for heavy duty daily uses.

About DentLight

DentLight has been designing and manufacturing award-winning dental products in Plano, Texas for the past 14 years. Our mission is to assist clinicians in delivering better procedural outcomes through superior optics and optoelectronic devices. We do this by providing innovative product designs, particularly LED lighting based dental equipment including curing lights, oral exam systems (cancer screening and caries detection), headlights, loupes, video cameras, and eye protection kits.

Call 800-763-6901 or visit www.dentlight.com.

High-quality 3D scans combined with the power of Carestream Dental’s preferred partnership with Swissmeda will provide Aspen Dental doctors and patients with more efficient imaging and access to innovative surgical guides for better outcomes.

Aspen Dental, one of the country’s fastest growing dental service organizations (DSO) under one brand name, has chosen Carestream Dental to support it in its mission to provide dental treatment for every mouth by naming the company its preferred partner for all digital 3D equipment.

Access—or lack thereof—to dental care and an aging population seeking functional, long-term solutions for maintaining their smiles are two significant challenges in the oral healthcare industry today. By partnering together, Carestream Dental and Aspen Dental will address several concerns facing the field of dentistry at once: First, delivering safer and more accurate 3D imaging to more patients and second, using those accessible 3D images to plan implants, fabricate surgical guides and conduct more efficient implant placement.

“Aspen Dental’s mission to deliver dental care to as many people as possible aligns perfectly with Carestream Dental’s mission of transforming dentistry, simplifying technology and changing lives,” Jeremy Thomas, general manager for the Americas region, Carestream Dental, said. “Aspen Dental supports thousands of dentists and needs 3D digital technology that will not only enhance diagnoses and treatment planning, but is easy to use, easy to integrate into any workflow and comfortable for patients. Since Carestream Dental manufactures and supports its own systems, we’ll be able to provide them customized and consistent care.”

Aspen Dental plans to install Carestream Dental 3D imaging systems in all its de novo practices—between 90 to 100 are opened each year—while the 2D systems in established practices will be gradually updated to 3D. Among the technology to be implemented into Aspen practices is the CS 8100 3D extraoral imaging system, a compact system that delivers high-resolution 3D images. Its open, patient-centric design makes it faster and easier to position patients while its stunning 3D images help doctors make confident diagnoses.

Doctors will also be able to take advantage of Carestream Dental’s preferred partnership with Swissmeda to plan implant cases and then export the surgical guide design for fabrication. The Swissmeda Dental Planning System (DPS) is not only easy to use, but the system features an innovative communication system that allows Aspen Dental’s doctors to seamlessly collaborate on patient care. The guides also feature a patented open skeletal design that give doctors more visibility and confidence when placing implants.

“This high-quality digital technology will help the doctors we support offer implant dentistry and more advanced procedures to more patients,” Arwinder Judge, D.D.S., chief clinical officer, Aspen Dental Management, Inc. “With access to Swissmeda DPS, we’re looking forward to a more streamlined process for fabricating surgical guides, so doctors can provide more efficient surgeries and save patients and doctors time.”

To provide fast and effective care at the beginning of even the most routine procedures, Aspen Dental is also using Carestream Dental’s RVG 6200 intraoral sensor and CS 2200 generator.

To learn more about Aspen Dental, visit aspendental.com. For more information on Carestream Dental’s innovative solutions visit carestreamdental.com.

About Aspen Dental

Aspen Dental-branded practices are committed to breaking down the barriers so that patients can get the care they need today. With close to 780 offices in 42 states, Aspen Dental practices provide a wide range of general dentistry and denture-related services and offer patient-friendly programs and services, including convenient locations, onsite labs and extended hours. Together, Aspen Dental practices cared for more than 1.8 million patients in 2018. For additional information about Aspen Dental or to find an Aspen Dental office, please visit aspendental.com.

About Carestream Dental

Carestream Dental is transforming dentistry, simplifying technology and changing lives around the world with its innovative digital product line of systems, solutions and support. From intraoral and extraoral imaging equipment to CAD/CAM solutions, imaging analysis software to practice management systems, Carestream Dental technology captures two billion images annually and aids in more precise diagnoses, improved workflows and superior patient care.

A recent scientific study at the University of Washington proved a key feature of the Z4. Using the milling and grinding machine, dental professionals can drill screw-access channels for hybrid implant restorations, e.g. screw-retained crowns, into regular ceramic blocks with no significant difference in flexural strength compared to factory-pre-drilled ‘meso’ blocks, which are significantly more expensive, and for which the nesting process is more challenging.

The study compared screw-access channels that were prefabricated under factory settings and channels milled in a Z4 milling and grinding machine from vhf. For this, a variety of ceramic CAD/CAM materials from different manufacturers was evaluated. The study ultimately proved that there was no significant difference in flexural strength of ‘meso’ blocks, compared with Z4-drilled blocks. Therefore, processing standard blocks with the Z4 means less cost for material and less material inventory necessary. The authors of the study were Jack M. Keesler, DDS, MSD, under guidance of the renowned Professor John A. Sorensen, DMD, PhD, FACP. This study was for Dr. Keesler’s University of Washington 2019 Master’s Thesis.

The CEO of vhf Inc., Nicolas Rohde, PhD, appreciates the study results: “The study results are of paramount importance for users of milling machines and a convincing argument for those who are thinking of purchasing a Z4. Our customers can conveniently finish perfect restorations at lower cost by drilling screw-access channels in highest quality.”

The Z4 is a four-axis, high precision milling and grinding machine with an integrated compressor and PC that requires no additives for the water-cooling system. Developed for same-day dentistry, it enables patients to receive high-quality restorations much faster. The block material is fixed without tools and can therefore be exchanged in seconds. For the study, two fine-grained diamond radius tools from vhf were used for grinding the channels.