SB: I’d heard about CAD/CAM and the CEREC^® in-office system when it first came out. It was expensive at the time, and the feedback that I saw tended to be a little negative when the technology was first emerging, with issues like crown breakage, seating problems and restorations coming off. So I didn’t pay much attention to it during those early days.

Later, after I sold some of my practices, I took a position with an office that had CEREC technology. After seeing firsthand how advanced in-office milling technology had become, I learned that it was doing great things. Choosing to purchase the glidewell.io system for Whispering Oaks was the next step for me, and it was a no-brainer: iTero, Glidewell mill, perfect pairing, great benefits, in my office — done.

JC: That’s great. So starting out with CEREC, as you did, compared to the months you’ve now had with the glidewell.io system — can you tell us a bit about the differences between the two that you’ve experienced so far?

SB: Getting used to things in terms of the software differences has been pretty smooth. Once you get the flow of the technology, the glidewell.io system, in my opinion, is much easier to use than CEREC. CEREC is great — I’m not going to knock that system at all. It’s great technology. But the iTero paired with fastdesign.io™ Software and the fastmill.io™ is, in my opinion, a step up for what I do.

JC: That’s great to hear.

SB: The Glidewell service, their support, is the biggest difference for me. Any time I call for help with the glidewell.io system — whether I’ve got a question on crown design or mill operation — I make one phone call and they’re all over it. They’re helping me out tremendously.

JC: With advanced technologies, it’s important to have that support, and Glidewell Dental definitely takes that seriously.

SB: CEREC didn’t have a lab for me to contact like Glidewell does. It would have been a challenge to find someone with the time and ability to help and somehow remote into my system. It would have been an exception to the general workflow with CEREC, whereas with the glidewell.io system, it’s part of what you’re paying to have. And it’s wonderful.

Not that I need the help very often. The learning curve is very simple. The software’s intuitive, so even for somebody just getting into it, you can do single crowns on day one, and be comfortable and confident with it. From there, you quickly develop your own process and follow your own learning curve. You get to the level you want at whatever pace works best for you. It’s in your hands.

JC: What materials do you find yourself using the most as you’ve worked more in-depth with the glidewell.io In-Office Solution?

SB: I’m using BruxZir NOW milling blocks for the posterior, and I’m also using Obsidian^® blocks (Glidewell Direct; Irvine, Calif.), which are a lithium silicate glass ceramic that’s similar to IPS e.max^® (Ivoclar Vivadent; Amherst, N.Y.).

JC: I’m assuming, because you couldn’t use BruxZir zirconia with the CEREC system, that you’ve also undergone something of a transition in terms of selecting materials.

SB: Yes. In terms of CEREC, their product was IPS e.max. They couldn’t mill a BruxZir crown, which was a drawback. I know a lot of dentists who say: “I’m only going to do BruxZir restorations. If I can’t do BruxZir restorations I’m not going to bother with chairside milling.” Well, that’s not an excuse anymore because the glidewell.io system can do it, and I’ve milled some beautiful BruxZir crowns with the glidewell.io system.

JC: What are the biggest changes you’ve noticed in terms of your practice since incorporating this technology? You mentioned good responses from your patients. How has that influenced your process on a day-to-day basis?

SB: Well, it’s fun. You can train your staff to use the glidewell.io system, so that you as the doctor, once you get that crown prep, can walk out and go see another patient. The team can do the scan, get it set up in the fastdesign.io Software, and call me when it’s time to check the margins and go through the actual design process. So I do that, and then we let the mill, technology and software do the bulk of the rest of the work.

And of course, the whole time the patients are sitting there with their own technology — their iPhone, or the television in our waiting room — and just relaxing. And they’re happy because they’re going to get their crown placed with comfort that day. So they love it. A lot of my patients have already had crowns. They’ve been through that process with impression material in their mouth. Maybe it didn’t feel or taste good, or it was gagging them. They’ve also gotten temporaries that came off once or twice, or weren’t smooth or comfortable. There’s a whole list of different problems with the traditional crown procedure, and those things aren’t issues anymore with the glidewell.io system in place. And the patients know it’ll all happen in one visit, usually within about 90 minutes. Certainly in under two hours.

JC: Before we wrap this up, do you have any tips for practitioners considering this technology?

SB: As dentists, we love technology, and we like to build things with our hands. When you implement the glidewell.io system, you’re still doing that — you’re just doing it on another level. Plus, it’s making you a better and more efficient dentist. That doesn’t even touch upon the cost savings. I’ve cut my lab bill in half. And that’s not counting all the other costs that aren’t related to the lab, like the actual cost of your time with patients in the chair. The improvements in all of those areas are great.

JC: Thanks for joining us. I appreciate your time and this great information. We’re glad to hear the glidewell.io system is helping your practice offer patients single-appointment dentistry.

SB: I’m a fan. And my team loves it because it makes their lives easier as well. We still do bridges and other things, of course. But the single-unit restorations are the bread and butter, and this system is a winner for those.