Dr. Viviana Waich sees numerous advantages to offering BioTemps^® NOW milled provisionals in her practice: fast milling times, durability and pleasing esthetics. “The only disadvantage,” Dr. Waich said with a laugh, “Is that I have had a few patients who are so happy with their smile that they don’t come back for their final restorations. Even though we explained the process, they think BioTemps NOW provisionals are their final crowns.”

Of course, crowns milled using BioTemps NOW Milling Blocks are not intended for permanent placement. They are, however, designed for up to six months of use. Dr. Waich treats a large number of cases requiring provisionals, and her patients all agree that BioTemps NOW provisionals provide a better all-around experience.

“They love the crowns. The first thing they say is, ‘Wow, these are so much more comfortable than other provisionals I have had,’” she said. Dr. Waich described patients complaining of other provisional crowns feeling rough and not looking esthetic — issues they don’t experience with BioTemps NOW.

In addition to durability and comfort, BioTemps NOW crowns provide patients the opportunity to preview their permanent restorations. The provisional restorations mirror the esthetic qualities of the final product, giving Dr. Waich’s patients the chance to “test drive” and offer their input when designing their permanent restorations.

She said many of her patients work full-time, and thus she recognizes the importance of limiting appointment times. “They have jobs to return to and they can’t cut into their workday. They need something more convenient,” she explained. With BioTemps NOW, Dr. Waich can mill full-coverage provisional crowns, inlays and onlays in 10 minutes or less.

The quick turnaround time also benefits Dr. Waich. “My chairtime is valuable. With BioTemps NOW, I know the crown won’t come loose easily or be damaged, greatly reducing the chance that I have to see them again before their final seating. I know that the occlusion is perfect, and I am meeting the patients’ needs by providing them with a good-looking provisional crown they can trust. BioTemps NOW sets us up to deliver a great final result and does so without using too much chair time.”

Offering her patients the lifelike translucency provided by Obsidian^® milling blocks same day was the motivating factor for Dr. Browder adding the fastmill.io^™ to her practice. “It’s a differentiator between us and other dentists in the area,” she said. “It’s important to be able to offer things other dentists can’t.”

With Obsidian milling blocks and the fastmill.io, Dr. Browder offers patients highly esthetic restorations chairside. “The esthetics I want to provide usually take 5–7 days in a dental lab. But now, I can complete the entire process and deliver the final restoration in as little as an hour with no need to temporize. Patients appreciate not having to schedule a second appointment.”

The convenience of receiving a same-visit restoration coupled with the esthetic qualities Obsidian milling blocks provide drives demand, Dr. Browder explained. “Obsidian’s esthetic qualities mimic natural teeth very closely,” she said. “I educate my patients on the natural appearance of the material, and now my patients specifically request restorations milled from Obsidian.”

Dr. Browder also chooses Obsidian blocks as her go-to for some cases requiring multiple restorations. “Say I’m doing two molars that are side-by-side, I’ll use Obsidian on the first tooth because of its esthetics. Then on the second molar, I’ll use CAMouflage^® NOW,” she said. “When we have those second molars, or anybody with finicky occlusion, I have found that CAMouflage is easy to contour and adapt to the patient’s occlusion. It’s a powerful combination of the two materials.” 

“For me, the next step is mastery of esthetics. It’s been great so far to figure out the foundation and the clinical basics you need to have amazing bond structure and maintain the tooth structure,” she said. “I’m so glad to have a material that not only provides excellent function, but also knocks the esthetics out of the park.” Dr. Browder also expressed her eager anticipation for adding the new Obsidian NOW Milling Blocks into her practice. The new material offers the high-quality esthetics of Obsidian glass ceramic without requiring an oven for additional crystallization after milling. Dr. Browder anticipates being able to provide esthetic restorations to more patients as a result.

It’s nice to be able to offer something that looks good, is strong and most importantly that I can make in about 40 minutes. It’s hard to beat,” Dr. David Zant said. “It’s this combination of form and function that makes BruxZir^® Esthetic my go-to material.”

With a flexural strength of 870 MPa, BruxZir Esthetic NOW Milling Blocks are designed for durability. The monolithic zirconia material emulates the vitality of natural teeth and is indicated for anterior crowns. As for the material’s look, Dr. David Zant said, “BruxZir Esthetic blends exceptionally well with natural dentition.”

BruxZir Esthetic NOW Milling Blocks combines the superior durability of the original BruxZir NOW Milling Blocks with enhanced translucency for excellent esthetics in the anterior

“For anterior cases where I need more strength and lifelike esthetics, I can’t imagine choosing any other material,” Dr. Zant said. “The ease of delivery and simple cementation protocol make BruxZir Esthetic NOW critical for my busy practice.”  

The fully sintered zirconia milling block can be delivered directly from the mill with no oven time or post-processing required. The efficiency is a significant plus for any practice emphasizing in-office solutions.

“95% of my cases are done same day, and I think that will just continue to grow,” said Dr. Zant. “Advancements in both technology like artificial intelligence for crown design and the quality of materials available for milling has been a game-changer for my practice.”

CAMouflage^® NOW Milling Blocks are Dr. Maryam Ekhtiar Kord’s go-to material for milling inlays and onlays. This nanohybrid ceramic-polymer material provides her patients with more predictable results than a direct restoration and offers financial benefits for her practice while performing minimally invasive treatment.  

“You have more control over the restoration’s outcome with CAMouflage, unlike a direct Class II composite.” she said. “With CAMouflage, you walk away from the patient feeling that you have predictable contacts and margins. With direct composites, there is more room for error, including saliva contamination and hence, bond failure. Other potential issues with direct composites include loose or poorly fitted matrix bands, which increase the risk of food impaction and recurrent caries.” Dr. Ekhtiar Kord said she has never encountered these problems when using CAMouflage NOW Milling Blocks.

The predictability is one of the main positives Dr. Ekhtiar Kord sees from using CAMouflage NOW Milling Blocks. Another is the material’s composition. Dr. Ekhtiar Kord pointed to CAMouflage NOW Milling Blocks’ ceramic-reinforced resin for providing patients with a better overall quality restoration that lasts longer than direct composites. The material is designed for easy, durable cementation with a survival rate of 98% after one year per Gordon J. Christensen Clinicians Report^®.¹

Meanwhile, some insurance plans offer substantial reimbursement for CAMouflage NOW restorations, which translates to higher profits. With positives both for her patients and her practice, Dr. Ekhtiar Kord said using CAMouflage NOW Milling Blocks is an easy decision that has fostered a “win-win situation” for her patients and her practice.

Provisional bridges milled from BioTemps^® NOW bridge blocks fulfill a variety of needs for Dr. Lan Chi Le, making the material an invaluable part of her practice’s offerings. Dr. Le said BioTemps NOW bridges “enhance both the final outcome for final restorations and the overall patient experience.”

“There are three common case types that call for BioTemps NOW provisionals,” Dr. Le said. “The first is for complex restorations that will be fabricated by the lab. Second, BioTemps NOW blocks are beneficial for cases that need time to heal, such as implants, extractions, gingival recontouring or grafting. Lastly, for cases with occlusal issues where the final restorations will be a significant change, BioTemps NOW milling blocks give them an opportunity to grow accustomed to their new occlusion.”

Dr. Le finds that provisional bridges fabricated from BioTemps NOW milling blocks instill confidence in her patients to proceed with their final restoration. “BioTemps give patients a sense of ownership in their permanent restorations,” she said. “They get feedback while having the provisional restorations in their day-to-day lives, then relay that to us. They feel like they have more of a choice in the final look of the permanent restoration.” 

Dr. Le describes the process of designing, milling and delivering same-day restorations as unlocking the comprehensive potential of her practice. Even in a case in which the permanent restoration must be fabricated by a lab, provisional restorations with BioTemps NOW milling blocks allow Dr. Le to utilize the glidewell.io^™ In-Office Solution for same-day results. The time saved delivering provisional bridges in less than 28 minutes allows her to provide more treatment. 

“It elevates the patients’ experiences when we use digital tools and are able to see the overall outcome together. It’s convenient for the patient, and it allows us to have the best plan in place for them,” Dr. Le said. “And because we have support from the glidewell.io^™ team, we can do more complicated cases. Instead of one or two crowns on the anterior region, it can be multiple units.”