In September 2011, I incorporated a second CEREC AC Connect unit into my practice. This has proven to be the most effective tissue management and digital impressioning combination for me. I then incorporated a soft tissue diode laser that October for gingival troughing, hemostasis and gingivoplasty. After training, I began my first Sirona Connect case in mid-August. I purchased the CEREC AC Connect in July 2010, followed by training with a digital impression instructor. With CEREC AC Connect, I typically take one-to-two images per tooth, and the job is complete. It’s equipped with a convenient battery back-up so I am able to move the unit freely within my operatories, without the need to power down and then reboot the entire unit.Īnd while, in theory, I liked the idea of powder-free imaging, I noticed other systems that highlighted this feature were required to create many more images to “make up” for this lack of powder. In addition, the CEREC AC Connect’s small footprint is ideal for dental offices that are limited in space. I prefer having complete control of my impressions and margins from start to finish, and in real time. With other digital impressioning units, the image is sent to the manufacturer for prep margins, and is verified by the dental laboratory after the patient has left. My CEREC AC Connect unit also allows me to mark my own margins directly on the digital impression. I also like that the image is instantaneously available for viewing and I can send my case directly to the lab. The Bluecam device is lightweight and ergonomically designed it feels natural in my hand, not unlike holding a pen or pencil. I quickly realized the extreme accuracy of Bluecam imaging and the technical support from Sirona simply afforded me the opportunity to do better dentistry. There are actually many reasons I chose Sirona’s CEREC AC Connect over other digital imaging systems. One researcher, whose opinion I value on most reviews, said, “If you are considering digital impressions, why would you consider anything else but Sirona?” That was a major factor in helping me make my final decision. Moreover, there are no additional scanning fees.I began my research, evaluating what others had to say and reading the research documents and evaluations that independent sources had provided. The day before I was to send the contract in, my Patterson sales rep came to my office and told me Sirona Dental Systems had just introduced the CEREC AC Connect system and it was worth investigating, because digital imaging without milling was what I wanted, and the purchase pricewas actually lower than my original intended purchase. After an in-office demonstration, I was excited and had the rep give me a contract to purchase the machine. The technique required no powder, cost about $25,000, and the cases could be sent over the Internet for the lab to fabricate. I was flipping through a dental journal and noticed an advertisement from a digital imaging competitor that used a digital imaging system. I told my sales rep, “When Sirona comes up with a scanning unit that costs about $25,000 and a way to ‘zap’ a digital image over the Internet to my lab, and have THEM make the crown, then come and talk to me about Sirona Digital Impressions again!”Ībout a year went by. While I loved the digital imaging part of the system and liked what people told me about their chairside experience with CEREC, for me, the milling was still an issue. I had many questions about the learning curve and the training, the fit of the restorations and how patients would accept the procedure. I had to weigh my intrigue with computers and new technology against the practicality of introducing this new technique into my practice. From the beginning, I was fascinated with the digital imaging portion of the technology, but was resistant to change. My introduction to digital impressions began in 2003 with a CEREC® 3 demonstration at a dental convention. I guess one could say I was not instantly convinced.
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