Prosthetics play a key role in modern dentistry. This will only increase in the future as the population ages. For this reason, the next International Dental Show will once again be an ideal forum for finding out much more about current developments in this increasingly complex field. “Today as never before, single crowns, bridges, inlays and suprastructures for implantology can be manufactured with a variety of different materials,” says Dr. Martin Rickert, President of the VDDI. And digital technology is being incorporated into production processes more and more, meaning that, alongside the proven classical methods, technicians have improved options so they can work more efficiently and can establish new procedures in laboratories. As a result, the chance of efficiently producing perfect prosthetics is increasing. However, one critical step in the treatment remains “in the hands of dentists”: accurate casting. Modern casting materials offer high precision and processing security in this process, which plays a crucial role in the accuracy of any restoration. In addition to classic modelling techniques, digital CAD processes in particular are available for the construction of products. Today’s high-tech tooth replacements are of the highest quality and completely biocompatible with full-ceramic restorations. The high-performance ceramic zirconium oxide in particular is characterised by a broad range of indications and unsurpassed aesthetics, with practically no detectable difference from natural teeth. CAD/CAM processes are most frequently used to process it, but the substructure construction can also be done using traditional wax modelling followed by the CAM process. Metallic prosthetic materials have always been important as bake-on alloys with a high gold content for crowns and substructures and are used mainly with the established casting technology. Substructure constructions are increasingly being manufactured without precious metals – usually as heavy-duty cobalt chromium alloys or fully biocompatible in titanium – using modern CAD/CAM-supported milling technology. Alternatively, selective laser melting is among the latest variants in digital production technologies, which uses metallic powder alloys that are usually free from precious metals for prosthetics; the resulting restorations are characterised by their extremely accurate fit and resilience. With respect to substructure constructions, crowns and abutments, there are various high- and low-fusion veneer ceramics for both the layering and overpress techniques. In addition, new, completely abrasion-resistant composite plastics are also being used now for the aesthetic veneer. Progress has also been made with the important adhesives used for fixing restorations or suprastructures. The trend in this regard is moving towards process-safe single-bottle adhesives, which have been shown to perform as well as classic bonding materials. Dentists and technicians can find out much more about current advances in prosthetics and consult with qualified manufacturers at the International Dental Show (IDS) from 24 to 28 March 2009 in Cologne. However, the processing of new materials and technologies also increases demands on dental laboratories – if production is to be finished on-site. Thanks to the increase in network production, however, small laboratories can also have prosthetic components manufactured externally at a reasonable cost and in perfect quality. As a result, digital substructure constructions in zirconium oxide or precious metal-free alloys can be manufactured perfectly in milling centres; only digital scanners are needed in the laboratory. Visitors to IDS in Cologne will be able to see the entire range of new opportunities available in order to gain an ideal overview for their laboratory or practice. “The International Dental Show, the world’s largest trade fair for dentistry and dental technology, will be taking place in Cologne from 24 to 28 March 2009 and offers a first-class view of the products on offer in the field of prosthetics. In addition, this is a wonderful opportunity to gain comprehensive information about the current state of dentistry in discussions with specialists from exhibiting companies and experienced users,” says Dr. Markus Heibach, Managing Director of the VDDI. IDS takes place in Cologne every two years and is organized by the GFDI Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Dental-Industrie mbH, the commercial enterprise of the Association of German Dental Manufacturers (VDDI) and staged by Koelnmesse GmbH, Cologne.” Note for editors
See under “Photos” in the “For the press” section for images on past IDS shows (http://www.ids-cologne.de).
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