The recent digital technology offers numerous new and efficient options for restorative dentistry. Within digital dentistry, the optical impressionning is the first step towards a digitalization of the patient’s intraoral situation. The resulting digital file is then used for the virtual plannification and the virtual design of reconstructions, which thereafter can be milled out of prefabricated blanks of different materials with the aid of CAD/CAM systems. The digital systems available today offer numerous advantages, like e.g. the precision of the reconstructions. A high number of studies has demonstrated good accuracy of the current subtractive manufacturing, i.e. the computer-aided milling or the grinding of ingots. Recently, additive procedures have been introduced. Stereolithography, laser sintering or printing of materials like wax, resins or metals has shown to be even more precise than the subtractive manufacturing.

This workflow is interesting for the fabrication of reconstructions but also for the patient/dentist communication.