Dentsply Sirona has opened up its CEREC system so clinicians can export scanned data from digital impressions in STL format. As a result, this data also now can be used in software products from other manufacturers. According to the company, this creates new possibilities for dentists who are gradually digitizing their practices. For example, they can use CEREC Omniscan scans in cooperation with their dental laboratory or other clinical planning software.
“The provision of single-visit dentistry with CEREC does not need an open file, since CEREC is complete as it is. However, we see in the last few years that many other clinical applications are being used in the practice, and customers are asking to use their CEREC digital impressions in those applications,” said Roddy MacLeod, group vice president of Dentsply Sirona CAD/CAM.
“It made sense to us, and now the option of exporting the scan data puts our customers in a position of being able to use CEREC with additional solutions in a digital world that is becoming ever larger,” said MacLeod.
Dentists can send the CEREC scans to a laboratory of their choice to order restorations. The STL format guarantees compatibility with all commonly used design programs that are employed in labs. The scan data also can be loaded into implant planning software to support preparations for the implant procedure. Plus, the open format enables practitioners to import the CEREC Omniscan scans into any other clinical or practice management software and to archive it there.
The corresponding software licenses will be available at the same time as CEREC SW 4.5.
