Jonathan Verroche, DD
Your apprehensiveness about digital dentures and dentistry could be your greatest downfall and is more of a mindset that needs to change since our industry is evolving. It's time to embrace this new technology, give our patients a better experience, and elevate our profession's standards.
Most of the stories from Denture Clinics surrounding digital dentures are similar. There is a mix of wondering if it works and if the hefty price tag is worth it, sprinkled in with some technology confusion, and finally astonishment when you see it in action. Digital dentistry will not change how you practice clinically. When it comes to the clinical procedure, we are still taking the same impressions, assessing VDO, and capturing proper occlusion in bite blocks. My fathers' practice had been established for over 30 years when I became a licensed denturist.
Verroche Denture Clinic had always kept up with the latest technology, utilizing the BPS system, Ivocap Injection System, and gnathometer readings. In reflection, it is astonishing how far our family business has since evolved. I will share some insights with you on how our family practice went from an analog workflow to a digital workflow in one year and how it changed my view of our profession's future.
In 2011 , I saw my first digital denture. AvaDent digital denture solutions was a new revolutionary concept that came out of the USA and gained momentum. As the years progressed, this digital denture company would streamline their workflow to meet the needs of the industry. Similar companies were starting up, like the Pala digital denture concept from Kulzer. A growing trend was forming. It's strange to think this was ten years ago.
When I first started hearing about digital dentures at trade shows and networking with colleagues in Canada, I kept hearing the same thing over and over, "It is not there yet." They were referring to the technology and workflows of our profession. After many years of hearing this closed mindset, I realized it would never evolve if more practitioners did not adopt this new technology. Today, I still hear the same thing from colleagues who doubt that we can create a digital denture with high-tech equipment superior to an analog workflow. After working with digital dentures for more than a year, I believe that organically produced dentures will become a thing of the past. I am now intrigued with the future of digital dentistry. Will this mean affordable digital jaw recordings?
Or a well-established vertical dimension from an edentulous intraoral scan? Perhaps high wear-resistant 3D printable denture teeth? The possibilities at this point are endless.
Now that the industry and the clinicians utilizing digital dentures have become more significant in numbers in North America, the companies developing these workflows are slowly going to stop supporting the typical analog workflows. Many are already removing the denture tooth lines' from production and replacing them with digital denture tooth lines. They will continue to evolve as they prepare to make room for a more extensive array of products that support a digital workflow.
The Primescan was my first introduction to the digital world and became my first purchase of digital equipment for Verroche Denture Clinic. I had the same initial doubts that my colleagues had, and for a short amount of time, had buyer's remorse. I started to wonder if everyone was right, and perhaps the technology wasn't there yet. I remembered when I was first trained on the Ivocap machine when it was first purchased and was the newest technology in our field and all the trials and tribulations of learning that system to generate perfect results. Any new system always has a learning curve and issues that arise. However, if you stick with it and take the time to learn, I guarantee that the payoff far surpasses the initial problems that you may encounter. Again, a very similar experience to the Ivocap machine and injection acrylic, which changed our industry for the better at that time.
I decided to put my learning into practice when it came to intraoral scanning and digital workflow. I started to utilize the software and intraoral scanner with every patient, from an intraoral scan in a consultation to creating printed study models from an intraoral scan or making a custom tray from an intraoral scan to partial denture fabrication. I started to believe in the technology and noticed that it helped my patients have a more positive experience while at the clinic. They appreciated that I was trying to upgrade and learn the new equipment at the clinic. Since it was more precise, there was less need for uncomfortable adjustments with the patients. This new digital workflow meant a more consistent workflow and started changing my business for the better.
I started to invest more in digital dentistry and bought a tabletop lab scanner, the inEOSX5. The ability to create dentures within this software was a true game-changer, and the results spoke for themselves. This new piece of equipment made the most significant change in my workflow. One of the main reasons I encourage everyone to embrace digital dentures is because it eliminates one of the biggest time-wasters of every denture clinic — adjustments! I never predicted that digital dentures would decrease denture sore spots and adjustments so dramatically. Most clinics that switch to a digital denture workflow will see a significant decrease in adjustments instead of typical analog workflows. This decline is due to the digital setup's accuracy and pre-occluded denture teeth libraries and the denture base's accuracy either printed or milled.
Getting involved in digital dentistry and digital dentures may seem like a daunting task. You may wonder where to begin? What should you purchase? And will this equipment be a positive ROI? These are the main questions that I receive when I speak at various engagements with my colleagues about digital dentistry and digital dentures. How you bring your practice into the digital world will be different for everyone. I say to everyone who asks me those questions that evolving into digital dentures and digital dentistry is more of a mindset and less about the new technology. This high-tech equipment will work, and it will work very well. You have to recognize that we are revolutionizing our industry and making significant changes that we have not seen in over 30 years. If you do not evolve your mindset and continue to learn, you will not be successful in using the new technology. We need to elevate our profession, be better practitioners, lab technicians, and in return, it will give our patients better treatment - digital dentures and digital dentistry do this impeccably.
About the Author: Jonathan Verroche, DD, is a forward-thinking denturist at Verroche Denture Clinic, situated in the Niagara Falls area. He has become a pioneer in digital dentistry, particularly digital denture fabrication, recognizing its transformative impact on both patient experience and practice efficiency. Jonathan's commitment to embracing new technologies reflects his dedication to providing top-notch care and staying at the forefront of his field. His advocacy for continuous learning and mindset evolution underscores his belief in elevating the profession and delivering superior treatment outcomes to his patients. - Gus Chebli, DD, Owner Dentures.ca
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