As dentists already well know, a tooth is much like a fingerprint: no two are ever exactly alike.

Extensive research has revealed that a person’s genetic makeup plays a key role in determining the natural shapes of his or her teeth.

Now, a new software upgrade from Sirona Dental Systems, LLC uses the information gained from this discovery to revolutionize the reconstruction-making process.

Until now, occlusal design methods relied on inadequate data records of standard teeth from which “matching” tooth samples were selected and used to create design proposals. Once a proposal had been generated, it then had to be manually edited and adapted. On the whole, such procedures were time-consuming and often reliant on subjectivity. With Sirona’s latest CEREC® 3D software, however, such hassles may finally come to an end.

Version 3.8 of Sirona’s CEREC® chairside system has Biogeneric capabilities. As Professor Dr. Albert Mehl, whose research was instrumental in uncovering the connection between genetics and natural tooth shape, explains, “Biogenerics is based exclusively on the patient’s individual dentition status. This is a major advantage in terms of clinical reliability. The more individual the occlusion, the better the resulting functionality.” Likening previous occlusal design methods to buying “off-the-rack garments manufactured in standard sizes” – in which often “such garments do not fit properly in all places and require subsequent alteration” – Professor Mehl states, “By contrast, a biogenerically designed tooth is a made-to-measure product; ‘tooth couture,’ if you will.”

Using the new CEREC® system, dentists can now extrapolate the natural morphology of a single intact tooth to a patient’s damaged tooth structure. A lifelike reconstruction can be created even for a completely damaged occlusal surface. Crowns, veneers, and anatomically-sized bridges can easily be constructed with this system. The new Biogeneric capabilities will replace the database features on earlier CEREC® systems, thereby eliminating the troublesome and time-consuming routine of selecting tooth morphology from dental records. In addition, the new system’s generally standardized and automated processes make it exceptionally simple and easy to use.

“Biogenerics will revolutionize occlusal surface design,” declares Bart Doedens, Vice President of Dental CAD/CAM Systems at Sirona. “With a single mouse click, the user will obtain a natural and individually designed restoration that requires hardly any manual adjustment. Such made-to-measure restorations are simpler, quicker, and, above all, more precise than their ‘off-the-rack’ equivalents.”

Sirona Dental Systems has been a leading innovator of digital impressions and CAD/CAM solutions for more than two decades. It is currently the world’s leading producer of CAD/CAM and digital impression systems.