January 28, 2010
I hate making mistakes, and I made a doozy.
It seems that our seminar featuring Dr. Bob Lamb which was scheduled for April 16, 2010 is in direct conflict with a CE event being hosted by the Northern Virginia Dental Society (NVDS). I swear I checked their website before scheduling Dr. Lamb, but evidently something wasn’t working that day – my eyes or brain (Take your pick).
Anyway, Dr. Lamb has been kind enough to allow us to reschedule for May 7th. Same time and same venue. Check out the sidebar for the new info.
Sorry for the confusion.
January 24, 2010
Given all the new products and materials hitting the market recently, Ivoclar has decided to hold a webinar featuring Dr. Dennis Fasbinder. He will be discussing various cementation systems, testing protocols and bond strength data – NOT JUST IVOCLAR PRODUCTS!!!
Participants will receive 1 CE credit and a special offer on Ivoclar’s new SpeedCEM. To register, click here.
January 22, 2010
We’ve been in business for 78 years. During that time we’ve heard our share of stories regarding embezzlement of funds by staff members. Some of the numbers have been truly staggering. In this day and age where the use of computers makes this type of crime relatively easy for a tech-savvy person with bad intentions, its imperative that you do everything you can to protect your assets.
In that vein, you may want to check a fellow blogger’s on-line seminar, “What Happened to My Cash Flow – Fraud and Embezzlement in the Healthcare Field”. Teresa is the founder of Odyssey Management and writes The Dental Implant Blog.
She also has a course on using social media to market your practice. My caveat? Its time-consuming, and its not about instant gratification. I’ve had over 10,000 views of this blog since I started writing, and I would characterize it as more of an ego trip than an income generator.
Maybe I should take Teresa’s course…
January 21, 2010
I’ve spent so much time over the past three weeks with our new Origin Pro 5000 milling machine that my wife is starting to get jealous. I keep tell her that my efforts will start to pay off, and I’m actually starting to believe myself.
Case in point – We fabricated this three-unit posterior bridge using Origin’s HS Zirconia (IdentCeram rated @ 1400 MPa). 
I uploaded these pictures to my WordPress Media Library – I think there was quite a bit of degradation of the image in the process, but you should get the idea. FCZ’s are viable not only as single unit restorations, but should be considered for splint applications, as well. Keep in mind – this is solid zirconia. No veneering ceramic was applied. I would not hesitate to characterize this type of restoration as virtually unbreakable.
And, an FCZ is a whole lot more esthetic and more cost-efficient than full cast gold. We can fabricate these restorations on just about any preparation, even feather-edge margins, and given the strength of the zirconia, we only need .5mm of occlusal reduction (of course, you won’t get much anatomical detail at that, but….)
If you would like to learn more, please don’t hestiate to call or email me…
January 20, 2010
If you’ve been reading this blog over the past few months, you know what a fan I am of digital impressions. We work with two practices using this technology – one using the Cadent iTero system and the other using Lava COS. Both systems have proven themselves to be remarkably accurate. If you forced me to choose one, I would probably go with the iTero system because I prefer their models, and I like that I can download the files into our 3Shape software in which I can design practically any type of restoration and output that design in the material of my choice.
Given my predilection, I asked our iTero client to share his thoughts on his experience with digital impressions. These are his words…
“I would like to share a few of my observations of using the Itero Scanner. I was hesitant at first to use the new CAD/CAM technology, but have been looking to new ways to lessen shipping time and lab time plus patient comfort. I attended 2 of the major systems in this technology and found it to be better than I had hoped.
I chose the Itero system due to the ease of scanning. You just place the lens atop the teeth and scan. No worries about focal length. It is quick and easy. I have been utilizing this system for approximately 5 months. We actually do take only 3 minutes for a scan of a single crown. The first few were @ 6 minutes, but it has really cut our preparation time down immensely. I have had nothing but positive feedback from the patients.
The “GEE Whiz” factor is great, but it has been great on patients with hyper gag reflex. I know of 2 cases I could not have done with conventional impression materials. I have found a huge improvement in accuracy and fit. The contacts/occlusion has dramatically improved. I now “touch” one out of 10 crown deliveries and those adjustments are minor.
I don’t know if the technology forces me to be a better clinician but the results are excellent. We have also shortened our turn around by approximately 1 week. I practice in Alaska so the ability to send a case by hitting the “send button” is outstanding. I don’t think I will ever return to the conventional methods as my results are too good.
I recommend you try out these systems and explore the potential. Try them in your hands for ease and ability to hold a focal length. You won’t be disappointed. I would welcome any and all questions you have and discuss the pros and cons of the systems.”
There you have it.
If you have any questions, leave a comment and I will see that you get an answer.
