CAD/CAM in-office technology Innovations after 25 years for predictable, esthetic outcomes

Background. The in-office application of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) has evolved continually across 25 years, and material enhancements made in conjunction with this evolution have improved the speed and precision with which dentists can place high-quality, esthetic restorations for almost every dental application. Methods. The authors present an overview of the CEREC Acquisition Center (AC) with Bluecam system (Sirona Dental Systems, Charlotte, N.C.) and available materials. Results. On the basis of the growth of CAD/CAM, the manufacturer has made substantial improvements to all aspects of the CEREC AC system including hardware, software and materials during the past 25 years. Conclusion. Dentists can create laboratory-grade restorations in their offices with little disturbance to work-flow patterns. This is possible, because of innovations to the system that make CAD/CAM feasible for most dental practices.