PHILADELPHIA—Clinicians need to do their homework before they delve into the world of digital dentistry, according to a speaker here.
“You have to do your research, ask questions, ask the salesman for a list of referrals, and ask for multiple scans,” Brian Trava, DMD, who has an endodontic practice in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, told an audience of more than 200 clinicians at the Updates in Contemporary Dentistry Meeting.
Dr. Trava, who has a Planmeca x-ray unit, said that he also puts a lot of thought into the company that produces the machine. He noted that company support can be critically important to a new owner. He also thoroughly researches software. “You want to know that it is upgradable, and that it is able to be integrated. Don’t just go for the wow factor,” Dr. Trava said.
Clinicians must also consider what best suits their individual needs, including whether or not the clinician wants differing image modalities, if the machine offers bitewing capabilities, or Selectively Compliant Articulated Robot Arm (SCARA) technology, Dr. Trava said. He encouraged clinicians looking to get into 3D dentistry to visit the website, the The 3D Orthodontist, which is a website where several machines are listed and compared.
“It is important to keep it mind that every machine is not the same,” Dr. Trava said. “There are very inexpensive machines and expensive machines, and you have to look at their strengths and weaknesses. It is the difference between buying a Yugo and a Cadillac; it depends on what you need.”
Dr. Trava noted that voxels are often discussed in selling sheets on 3D machines, however, he said, this is also a very subjective criteria, which is largely dependent on an individual’s needs.
“A lot of times you are going to see advertisements from different manufacturers saying ‘with our smaller voxels, you’ll see the most detail,’ but that’s not necessarily true,” Dr. Trava said. “You have go to do your research on that and decide which units have the best settings for you.”
Dr. Trava encouraged clinicians to think of the options 3D units will afford their offices. “These machines offer multimodality, it can expand your practice, increase your referral base, and really, afford you the chance to offer better patient care.”
Dr. Trava’s lecture was supported through unrestricted educational grants from Planmeca Inc and Schick Technologies, Inc.