CAD/CAM in dentistry – a critical review

Objective: The CAD/CAM process in Dentistry describes an indirect restoration designed by a computer (Computer Aided Design) and milled by a computer assisted machine (Computer Aided Machined). It can be divided into three different steps: data acquisition, indirect restoration design and construction of the prosthesis itself. This paper relates the state of art of the CAD/CAM systems in dentistry and some of the concerns and special cares that can interphere to optimize their results. Yet, it stablish some considerations about the role of CAD/CAM systems in the present and near future of the dental practice.Methods: The Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO) and biomedical journal literature of the National Library of Medicine (MEDLINE/PubMed) electronic databases were used to search the literature from 2004 to 2013.Conclusion: There are advantages to using CAD/CAM in Dentistry: the new materials are esthetically pleasing and durable; there is increased efficiency in laboratory processing; quick fabrication of the restoration; and quality control of restorations such as fit, mechanical durability and predictability. These advantages will ultimately benefit our patients.