Dentaltown January 2022 - 64

In reality, saving money is
just one reason to start
utilizing this technology.
The ability to control
everything from start to
fi nish is priceless. I can now
control the consistency,
fi t, aesthetics, materials,
timing and process of every
restoration I do. Plus, I get
the creative satisfaction
that comes with making
my own crowns.
Titanium specifi cs
Another piece of the in-offi ce milling
puzzle is which manufacturer of titanium
bases, angled titanium bases and
multiunit abutments you'll be using. If you
stick with one manufacturer, you won't need
to carry scan bodies for every manufacturer,
and it's nice to only have to become familiar
with one library.
As mentioned earlier, I use Dess USA
components. The company carries parts
and pieces for several different implant
manufacturers; everything is FDA 510(k)approved
and is of exceptional quality
and very reasonably priced. Plus, I can get
something overnighted for around $20.
I do a lot of single-implant crowns
using titanium bases and, frankly, it may
be the easiest thing I do with my mill and
saves me a ton of money. I get to control
the emergence profi le and individualize the
overall shape of the crown. If the implant
angle is off, I simply use an angled Ti base,
which allows me to correct the screw hole
angulation up to 25 degrees during the
crown design stage (Figs. 22-24).
64 JANUARY 2022 // dentaltown.com
Fig. 22
Fig. 23
Fig. 24
All of Dess's Ti base chimneys come
robotically pre-sandblasted from the factory. I
have yet to see another manufacturer do this
and I believe it contributes to a consistent fi t.
I use Panavia V to cement my implant
crowns to my Ti bases and after two years and
a bunch of crowns, I have yet to experience a
single failure. I make sure that I purchase the
Panavia V opaque to mask the Ti base and
prevent it from possibly altering the shade.
The fi nancial equations
Why get a mill and start making your
crowns in-house? The obvious answer
is saving money. I used to spend around
$50,000 annually on my lab bill, excluding
removables. Crowns averaged about $180.
They now cost me about $12. I was paying
$400 for a zirconia crown on a Ti base; I'm
now able to make the exact thing for $55.
Obviously, this doesn't factor in my time
or the initial cost of the equipment, but I look
at it this way: If it takes me less than an hour
to make one screw-retained implant crown,
after expenses that's about $350 an hour
saved. That's making good money while I
kick back, listen to music or a podcast, hang
out with my dog and make crowns.
In reality, saving money is just one
reason to start utilizing this technology.
The ability to control everything from start
to fi nish is priceless. I can now control the
consistency, fi t, aesthetics, materials, timing
and process of every restoration I do. Plus, I
get the creative satisfaction that comes with
making my own crowns.
There's also the marketing effect that
it can have on your offi ce! Dentists market
their use of Cerec, microscopes, etc.-why
not a mill? I casually let every patient know
that I've made their crown from start to
fi nish. I tell them about my equipment, what
it can do and how it's part of the future of
dentistry. Patients are genuinely interested
and impressed!
I'm convinced that in the future, every
dental offi ce will have these machines. Over
time, the process will continue to get easier,
more streamlined and faster.
Buying a mill and all that it entails is a
commitment. But it's a commitment that
I fi nd is worth it. ■
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Dentaltown January 2022

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