title: Treatment of an edentulous patient with CAD/CAM technology: a clinical report.
abstract: CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) technology with large-scale industrial applications has been developed and used over the last 3 decades. Implant Innovations, Inc. (Palm Beach Gardens, FL), has recently introduced a version of this technology for use in implant restorative dentistry. Different software programs were written to design and machine individual implant abutments and bar-type frameworks. This report provides a literature review of CAD/CAM technology in dentistry and describes the treatment of one edentulous patient restored with individual implant abutments and conventional cemented fixed partial dentures in the edentulous maxilla and a fixed, screw-retained prosthesis that replaced the missing mandibular teeth. The abutments were made using The Encode Restorative System; the mandibular framework was made with a CAM StructSURE Precision Milled Bar. The benefits and limitations of this technology are also discussed. Additional clinical and laboratory studies are needed to further validate this technology.
authors.affiliation: 3i Implant Innovations, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA. cdrago@3implant.com
authors.forename: Carl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Drago
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Peterson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous / Q000379:methods*; D019094:Dental Prosthesis, Implant-Supported / Q000379:methods*; D003830:Denture, Partial, Fixed; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009066:Mouth, Edentulous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011859:Radiography