Focus on this dental specialty that is digital dentistry or digital dentistry.
Digital dentistry refers to the use of digital technologies such as 3D modeling , computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) to diagnose, plan and treat dental problems. It encompasses the use of intraoral scanners, design software, 3D printing and machining to create dental restorations, crowns, bridges and other devices more precisely and efficiently. It also allows for planning of dental implant placements.
For the dentists who practice it, digital dentistry is gradually replacing traditional dentistry. The restorations are modeled in 3D on software rather than directly in the patient's mouth or freehand, which offers a high quality of adaptation. For the patient, this provides greater durability and reliability of the restorations.
Testimony from Bérenger DIOT , founding dentist of Biodental Tournai:
“The great advantage of digital dentistry is that I don't need to have the patient in the chair to start restoring a tooth or a complete jaw. I see the patient for the first time, I record all the information using digital tools and I thus obtain a 3D digital model of the patient. From this 3D modeling, I know how to prepare and manufacture the prosthetic project on software before seeing the patient again a few days later. This is valid for a single tooth as well as for a complete dental arch. This saves considerable time for the patient and for me and allows the treatment plan to be virtually validated or not before I have even started treating my patient. Furthermore, I am not only the “installer” of the prosthesis, I am its architect, its manufacturer from A to Z, and that is a great advantage because I control everything. This discipline is not magic, it requires rigor, experience in this field and a certain mastery of different IT tools. For this last point it's not a problem because it's been a passion since I was 7 years old! »
Once the restorations have been designed and validated on the computer, they are fabricated directly in the office or sent to an external laboratory for fabrication. In more complex cases, the design can be delegated to an external laboratory, but this does not change the philosophy of digital processing, on the contrary, it is a huge advantage to be able to manipulate 3D files so easily today.
Testimony from Rémi BOULIER , founding dentist of Biodental Tournai:
“Digital dentistry has been a revolution for me for several years and it continues to revolutionize my practice even today. Its field of application is infinite in my daily life as a specialist dentist. Mastery of digital dentistry allows me almost total anticipation of all my aesthetic and surgical procedures. This brings security, comfort and satisfaction to my patients who trust me. With my partner Bérenger Diot, we make it a point of honor to remain at the cutting edge of knowledge in this vast world that is “digital dentistry”. This requires advanced training and significant investments in computer hardware, planning software and various equipment such as 3D printers or machining machines. To conclude, I would say that mastering digital dentistry means successfully navigating skillfully between the “real” patient and the “digital” patient in order to always guarantee high quality aesthetic and surgical treatments. »
Digital dentistry, a major revolution in the dental field, is redefining traditional practice. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as 3D modeling and computer-aided manufacturing, it enables more precise, durable and predictive treatments. For practitioners, this approach provides absolute control over restorations, reducing treatment time and increasing the reliability of results. The testimonies of the two dentists Bérenger Diot and Rémi Boulier underline the importance of this digital mastery to guarantee superior quality care, skillfully combining the real and digital world for the benefit of patients. Digital dentistry thus represents an essential pivot towards modern dental treatments, promising excellence and satisfaction for years to come.
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