The dental profession has constantly sought ways to make the most of that precious commodity — chair time — and digital technology has stepped up to facilitate quicker turnaround times and more precise-fitting crowns.

Single-visit restorative dentistry is a striking representation of this trend. Dentists who have adopted in-office milling are able to prepare a tooth, take a digital impression and deliver a crown in the same appointment, making their patients’ lives less complicated while getting a leg up on the competition in the process. The glidewell.io™ In-Office Solution offers an accessible and straightforward entry point into this exciting new era in dentistry, and a few of the articles in the pages that follow demonstrate how far this technology has come and the way dentists are putting it to use for the good of their patients and their practices.

In 2017, we were energized by the large number of readers who joined us for the inaugural Glidewell Dental Symposium to learn about the latest innovations, techniques and procedures shaping the world of dentistry. This year’s event has again sold out, with more than twice the number of registrants. I thank you for your support and promise you a great lineup of topics and presentations. I’m confident that those of you attending the hands-on workshops will leave with new skills that you can immediately put to work in your practice.

Earlier this year, we introduced BruxZir^® Esthetic Solid Zirconia — a truly esthetic dental zirconia and the culmination of years of R&D efforts. We’ve been thrilled with the response we’ve received thus far, and this issue of Chairside^® features articles that showcase the tremendous research that went into this material, as well as examples of the beautiful results dentists are achieving.

Of course, restorative dentistry is just one of many essential services found in today’s multifaceted dental practice, and I hope you’ll find useful the articles we’ve assembled on topics ranging from sleep dentistry, to implant therapy, to practice management. As always, we appreciate any feedback from our readers.