Chairside milling or sending to your lab? Which is best for your dental practice?

In the ever-evolving landscape of dental technology, the choice between chairside milling and working with your lab holds significant implications for dental practices. The quest for efficiency, precision, and patient satisfaction prompts the ongoing debate: should you invest in chairside milling, with its promise of same-day restorations, or opt for lab milling, and benefit from the expertise of your trusted dental technicians? Let’s explore the pros and cons to help you make an informed decision for your dental practice.

Understanding chairside milling

Pros:

1. Time efficiency: Chairside milling offers a swift turnaround time for dental restorations. With the ability to craft crowns on the same day as the patient's visit, it streamlines the treatment process and enhances patient convenience.
2. Accuracy: Utilising intraoral scanners for chairside milling ensures unparalleled accuracy compared to traditional impressions, enhancing the precision of restorations and overall treatment outcomes.
3. Patient satisfaction: Immediate results contribute to a positive patient experience. Fewer appointments, coupled with on-the-spot restorations, instil a sense of trust and satisfaction in your patients.
4. Savings: Chairside milling can lead to significant cost savings over time by reducing lab bills, minimising the need for remakes, and eliminating courier costs associated with sending impressions back and forth, ultimately benefiting the practice, patients, and the environment.

Cons:

1. Equipment price: You will need to consider your budgets when getting ready to invest in chairside milling. Initial investments in milling machines may be substantial, and ongoing maintenance costs should be factored in. However, patients may be willing to pay a higher price for an enhanced treatment, meaning you will achieve a great return on investment in no time. Furthermore, chairside milling can lead to a reduction in lab bills, remakes and courier costs further down the line.
2. Skill level: Mastery of chairside milling requires a learning curve. Ensuring your staff are well-trained becomes imperative to harness the full potential of this technology. Luckily, Henry Schein Dental is ready to support you with this, as your Digital Sales Specialist is ready to recommend you the best in digital dental education.

Dentsply Sirona Primemill:

Revolutionise your practice with the Dentsply Sirona Primemill. Setting new standards for digital chairside dentistry with its advanced milling unit and highly automated software.

• CEREC workflow: Communicates effortlessly with other CEREC devices for a streamlined workflow. Find out more here.
• Outstanding precision: Delivers rapid and accurate scan data with Primescan and patented biojaw algorithm.
• Speed: Enables milling zirconia restorations in Super-Fast mode in just 5 minutes, cutting processing times by more than half.
• Versatility: Treats multiple indications with confidence, thanks to 35 years of continuous optimisation.
• Stylish design: Its sleek design makes it the perfect fit for a progressive dental practice.

The Dentsply Sirona Primemill, and associated CEREC workflow, also contribute to environmental sustainability. By reducing the need for multiple appointments and eliminating shipping requirements, it minimises patient journeys and significantly decreases CO2 emissions, aligning your practice with eco-friendly dental solutions. As well as this, when combined with the Primescan in the CEREC workflow, there is no need for impressions, facilitating a better patient experience and less material waste.

Find out more

Exploring lab milling

Pros:

1. Precision and quality: With lab milling, you get the benefit of the expertise and skill from the lab technicians themselves. Dental labs, equipped with advanced technology and experience technicians, can achieve intricate details that may be challenging with chairside alternatives.
2. Diverse material options: Dental labs provide a range of material options for milling, catering to complex cases that may require specialised materials. This flexibility is a key advantage.

Cons:

1. Turnaround time: Unfortunately, outsourcing any process will increase your waiting time. Consider the impact on patient scheduling and set expectations accordingly.
2. Communication challenges: Effective communication between the dentist and the dental lab is crucial. Miscommunication can lead to delays in the production process and potentially affect patient timelines. If working with your lab is right for you, an intraoral scanner can vastly improve your teamworking.  Find out more.

Factors to consider

1. Case complexity: Consider the nature of your cases. Chairside milling may excel in straightforward cases, while lab milling could be preferable for intricate restorations.
2. Budget and resources: Evaluate your budget and available resources. While chairside milling comes with an initial investment, lab milling may require ongoing collaboration expenses.
3. Training and skill level: Assess the proficiency of your team. Chairside milling necessitates trained personnel, while lab milling requires effective communication and coordination with dental technicians.

See lab mills

In navigating the chairside versus lab milling dilemma, it's crucial to align your decision with the unique needs of your dental practice. Consider the intricacies of your cases, budget constraints, and the proficiency of your team. Whether aiming for same-day convenience or prioritising precision, staying informed about emerging technologies is paramount.

Most importantly, choosing between chairside and lab milling doesn't have to be an either-or decision. In fact, these approaches often complement each other, addressing different clinical needs. By integrating both, your practice can offer the benefits of same-day efficiency and lab expertise, ultimately maximising patient outcomes.