by Dr Anthony Spink, Anthony Spink Dental Suite, Brighton, QLD
E4D is a CAD/CAM system that’s pretty similar to a Cerec. Our practice has been using one for about 18 months and in that time, we’ve completed close to 300 restorations.
What’s good about it
The E4D enables you to restore teeth simply. It allows you to create crowns, inlays and onlays far more predictably. It also produces a much nicer, stronger result and the whole process can be completed in a single visit. At present, I do everything in a two-and-a-half hour appointment.
The big advantage over the Cerec is that you don’t need to use any spray or highlight paste on the teeth. The teeth can be simply prepped and then scanned directly. The results are very accurate and well fitting. This is the reason I went for the E4D rather than the Cerec.
Patients love that they don’t need a temporary in their mouth and they don’t need a second appointment two weeks later. Overall, it’s been a really positive response.
What’s not so good
It’s an expensive piece of equipment to purchase. However, if you’re intending to use it for five to 10 years, then price isn’t really a barrier as lab costs are reduced by approximately $300 to $400 per tooth.
It also requires a change of mindset. The whole process is slightly different to everything I had been doing for the past 20 years. It’s a steep learning curve but once you’ve mastered the E4D, the results are quite amazing.
Where did you get it
Henry Schein Halas.
