Kelly Fessel Carr · Industry News · Jun 2013
> "Ten years ago, we could mill copings in five or six materials with inLab; now we can fabricate copings, crowns, bridges and abutments in more than 30 different materials. That's how far inLab has come!"...See more said Norbert Ulmer, Director of Laboratory CAD/CAM at Sirona Dental, Inc., during his opening remarks to kick off the company's inLab Summit 2013 in Savannah, GA, on May 31 and June 1.
Featuring a dynamic group of lecturers and multiple hands-on sessions, the Summit offered the over 100 attendees an information-packed event and the opportunity to network and share business strategies and technical tips with other inLab users. It also marked Sirona's official U.S. launch of four new products:
**Robotic Scanning with the inEos X5:** This new five-axis model and impression scanner features a robotic arm; the model or impression is mounted on a magnetic plate that attaches to the arm which then moves to ensure quick, automatic positioning and scanning. "Robotic scanning is unique to the inEos X5," explained Jonathan Hill, Sirona's Marketing Manager. "The robotic arm makes the scanner faster, more precise and easier to use because there's less hands-on time for the user."
The inEos X5's Point and Shoot feature gives you the flexibility to scan only a section of the model or impression, also saving time. The auto focus feature renders a scan precision of less than 12 microns*. The unit offers single or multi-die scanning, physical impression or model scanning, and has a large field of view (~30mm x 40mm).
**Software Upgrade, inLab SW 4.2:** inLab users have been eagerly awaiting the latest-generation software, inLab SW 4.2, because of many new features including its virtual articulation feature that allows you to take all dynamic contacts into account when designing restorations, including excursive, protrusive and centric movements with corresponding occlusal relationships.
"The virtual articulation is my favorite part of inLab SW 4.2; it reduces the overall finishing time for both the laboratory and the dentist," said Presenter Jay Black, CDT, Manager, Winter Springs Dental Laboratory, Winter Springs, FL. "We did a test in my laboratory and it saved three minutes per crown; the chairside time savings are even greater."
The software also has new smile design features including:
- Move Jaw Tool that allows you to open a bite per your dentists' Rx.
- Incisal Variation Tool to create textures quickly and easily for anterior teeth.
- Virtual Try-In that enables you to import a 2D photo and generate a 3D photorealistic image of the patient's face.
In addition, the upgrade now allows users to fabricate multi-layer bridges over implant abutments in addition to single-unit restorations, and the stack milling software improves nesting capabilities for more efficient block usage.
**10-Minute Speed Sintering of Copings with the inFire® HTC speed furnace:** Launched last year, the inFire HTC speed furnace can accommodate up to two crucibles so you can sinter 50 to 60 units—from single copings and crowns to nine-unit bridges—per cycle. "Because of the sintering time and the fact that the unit cools down quickly, using the furnace greatly evens out the workflow in our laboratory. We're able to load and sinter four to five times a day rather than just at night," said Presenter Lindy Sikes, CDT, Sikes Dental Studio, Charlotte, NC.
Now, users with the current inFire HTC speed furnace can upgrade their furnace for both speed sintering and metal sintering capabilities; speed sintering enables you to sinter one or two copings and crowns in 10 minutes.
The inFire HTC speed furnace is compatible with many of the materials that can be milled in the inLab and inLab MC XL units as well as DENTSPLY Prosthetics' new Crypton™ cobalt chrome block. Sintering Crypton requires an argon gas attachment.
**Economical Intraoral Scanner, Apollo DI:** This new intraoral scanner features touch-screen technology and a small, lightweight wand. With a price tag of $19,750, it's also the company's most economical intraoral scanner.
"The Apollo DI is price positioned for labs to purchase it for their dentist-clients to encourage them to get involved, or more involved, in model-less digital dentistry. Labs can recoup the cost through the savings on model making, delivery services and scanning labor," said Ulmer. "The lab owner can use the scanner's Direct Connect feature to ensure that the dentist only sends cases to his/her laboratory," said Ulmer.
* Guideline VDI/VDE 2634 (Association of German Engineers/Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information technologies e.V.) page 2, "Optical 3-D Measuring Systems Optical Systems Based on Area Scanning."
### Material Partners ###
Also at the Summit were several of Sirona's material partners who helped sponsor the event: 3M ESPE, The Argen Corp. and DENTSPLY Prosthetics. Through infiniDent, Sirona's central production center, inLab customers can access restorations made of Sirona materials as well as 3M's Lava™ Ultimate and Argen Digital Captek, NobleBond and Noble-Crown NF.
In addition to Crypton, DENTSPLY Prosthetics previewed Celtra™, a zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate that can be milled with the inLab MC XL and will be available July 1. Presenter Chad Rogers, Technical Director of Professional Dental Laboratory Corp., Elkhart, IN, called Celtra "a game changer. It comes in five shades and two translucencies, mills nicely and doesn't need to be crystallized. Unglazed, the strength is 210 MPa and it gets stronger with staining and glazing, 375 MPa."
A key theme throughout the two-day event was the critical importance of shifting to digital dentistry in order to compete and survive in today's marketplace. The overwhelming sentiment: If you haven't gone digital, you're going to be left behind.
Several presenters shared their powerful stories of reinventing their laboratories and reinvigorating themselves through digital technology; watch LMT's August issue for more coverage.
