Are we on the right path?

We are all aware that in recent years, dentistry has undergone a profound transformation in how both dentists and lab technicians work and communicate—all for the benefit of the patient. The dental industry has flooded us with all kinds of technological solutions, primarily 3D technologies. In recent years, significant efforts have been made to encourage dentists to adopt intraoral scanners. While it’s true that the intraoral scanner is the cornerstone of the digital workflow, it has now quietly taken a backseat. Today, the industry’s efforts are heavily focused on the distribution of 3D printers, which have taken center stage and clearly represent the sector’s future trend. But are we missing something? It seems that most players in the sector are overlooking the most important aspect: “the digital workflow is indivisible.” What does this mean? Well, that’s what we call “The Holy Trinity” in this post.

THE HOLY TRINITY OF DIGITAL DENTISTRY

The digital workflow in dentistry always consists of three phases: digitalization, design, and manufacturing. However, the dental industry has dedicated approximately 70% of its energy and resources to the first phase: digitalization. This includes the sale of various types of scanners: intraoral, facial, and laboratory. Today, it’s fair to say that the majority of efforts are focused on the sale and distribution of 3D printers, which account for around 20% of the Digital Dentistry market. If we do the math, it’s easy to deduce that the remaining 10% is dedicated to the design phase, i.e., CAD software. Of course, these percentages are not scientific but indicative; however, they aim to illustrate and emphasize that 90% of the dental industry has focused on hardware development, leaving just 10% for software. This fragmented approach to digital dentistry is unequal. So, the next question we should ask ourselves is: Does this make sense?

THE ACHILLES’ HEEL

Traditionally, CAD software design has been the domain of the lab technician. Following the dentist’s prescription, the technician creates the necessary devices for the patient’s treatment. This workflow introduces several “problems” that have, over the years, been perceived as normal. Digital workflows have always been marketed as faster and more cost-effective than conventional methods. But is this really the case? Are we optimizing it to its full potential? And more importantly, what does the future hold for dentistry?

To fully realize the benefits that Digital Dentistry can offer, both dentists and lab technicians need to have a comparable level of understanding of the digital workflow. This means that both must equally grasp the three phases of the digital workflow. If you haven’t noticed yet, the Achilles’ heel of all this lies in the CAD design phase. It’s rare for dentists to understand or use basic CAD design tools, and this is due to various reasons, be they economic or simply a reluctance to overcome the necessary learning curve. Let’s be clear: dentists don’t need to become CAD designers, but they do need a solid understanding of what these tools can offer, supporting lab technicians and enabling the best possible outcomes for the patient. After all, isn’t this all supposed to be for the patient?

Furthermore, it’s evident that numerous companies are developing hardware and software for the dental sector, but they do so in isolation and, more worryingly, with little (or no) scientific validation. The typical lifecycle of a digital dental product goes as follows:

1. A product (hardware or software) is developed.
2. It is launched into the market.
3. Dentists and lab technicians use and test it on real patients.
4. Some products fail to meet expectations.
5. Certain groups conduct scientific research on these products.
6. Later, science confirms whether something works in Digital Dentistry.

Is this the right way to operate in a biomedical sector? Why is it so difficult to validate a product before it’s launched? And when we throw in the magic words “Artificial Intelligence,” the entire situation can become an explosive cocktail.

In terms of technological development—whether it’s scanning, CAD design, or 3D printing—dentistry has never been at the forefront. We’ve always adopted and adapted technologies from other industries. Do we really believe that Artificial Intelligence will be the exception?

TIME FOR A REORGANIZATION

It’s time to redefine everything we’ve built over the past decade in digital dentistry. The digital workflow needs a logical reorganization, led by solutions backed by scientific evidence. Only after completing this (arduous) task can we begin to integrate artificial intelligence algorithms to usher in a new era of dentistry.

Before developing and implementing a new technology, it’s essential to bring order to the chaos first.

And that’s precisely why we created Implantif.AI by MovumTech.