Sirona Dental Systems, a leading producer of dental CAD/CAM systems, recently introduced CEREC Connect, a Web-based communication platform designed exclusively for Sirona CAD/CAM users (e.g., inLab and CEREC).

CEREC Connect allows direct digital communication between CEREC dentists and inLab laboratories via a Web-based portal. The service will enable dentists to eliminate physical impressions by electronically transmitting a digitally-scanned impression to the laboratory of their choice.

Moreover, while digital impression taking has become of popular interest, Sirona has taken the concept one step further, enabling dental laboratories to fabricate digital restorations without the need for a conventional physical model.

"CEREC 3 is currently used by 8 percent of dentists in the U.S., and while they primarily use the system for posterior restorations, our goal is to funnel those offices' anterior work to inLab laboratories," said Norbert Ulmer, director of Laboratory CAD/CAM for Sirona.

"By using CEREC Connect, the dentist saves time and money using the intra-oral CEREC camera to take a quick, clean digital impression; laboratories immediately receive an accurate, digital model to work from; and patients will have a more pleasant experience."

The CEREC 3 technology uses only a digital model, and initially the CEREC Connect service will work the same way; however in the near future, Sirona plans to offer labs also the option of creating a traditional model.

"Many labs prefer to work off of a model; our plan is not to insist on model-less dentistry," said Ulmer. "As the sole provider of the model-less digital restoration process, we strive to offer laboratories with choices, and let them decide on their own when they're ready to transition to working without one."

CEREC Connect is another service created by Sirona exclusively for its laboratory and dentist customers currently using its inLab and CEREC CAD/CAM systems.