THE DIGITAL STREAM

Much like radiovisiography technology, dental CAD/CAM technology got its start in Europe in the 1970s and 1980s. However, early versions of CAD/CAM systems were so cumbersome and complicated that they were considered more of a hindrance to practice workflow than an advantage, and were mostly confined to laboratories. Fortunately, advances in the technology over the past few years have made CAD/CAM a more viable option for dentists looking to do restorations in-house.

Once an item is digitized, there are three very significant things you can do with it. You can store transmit and manipulate or enhance it using a computer or a computer network; in other words, you can take a digital impression and store it on a server it does not get lost taking up space on a closet shelf. You can transmit it to a lab instantly, no boxes and FedEx trucks needed

Due to the rising number of people who have recently been infected with Ebola, the disease has become a common topic in the news. As a blood-borne pathogen that is acquired upon contact with a carrier’s blood or other bodily fluids, Ebola may not be as easily transmitted as the flu or other diseases that travel by air—but that doesn’t mean precautions shouldn’t be taken.

It is easy to see technology just as machines and networks but I have always believed the real significance, the real value of technology comes when we use it to improve the human condition. Dr. Tony Romanazzi, a dentist from Glens Falls, New York in the Hudson River Valley, told me a lovely story that demonstrates this idea perfectly.