IDS 2015: Sirona sets new standards with seamless integration for digital workflows in the dental practice

Digital systems represented the dominant theme of the IDS 2015. As the market and technology leader in the dental industry, Sirona ushered in a new phase of seamless integration at the IDS 2015: Digital systems are no longer stand-alone solutions. As an integral part of the workflow, they help make the medical and technical aspects of dental work safer, faster and more efficient. They communicate with each other, thereby creating the basis on which completely new, integrated treatments can be introduced in prosthetics, implantology, endodontics and orthodontics. “Based on decades of experience in digital technologies, Sirona is in a better position than any other company in the dental industry to network these systems. From digital impressions to digital imaging, in 2D or 3D, right up to the treatment centers that are now established as part of the digital product range, and even instruments – Sirona serves as a guide for dentists and dental technicians who have chosen to switch entirely to digital solutions or who intend to master the field gradually”, says Jeffrey T. Slovin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sirona.

Highlights: New X-ray system and blue laser technology

The lively crowds at the Sirona trade fair booth showed the extent of visitors’ interest: The company’s innovations have struck a chord perfectly in tune with the times. One of the foremost of these is the new ORTHOPHOS SL extraoral X-ray unit, which utilizes two new technologies to make diagnosis easier, with even better X-ray image quality at a low dose. The Direct Conversion Sensor converts X-rays directly into electrical signals, while the reconstructive Sharp Layer process ensures that panoramic images are automatically focused to deliver significantly sharper images. The X-ray workflow is supported by the SIDEXIS 4 software, which enables the dental operator to quickly access the patient’s history and all relevant image data. The system also makes it possible to examine 2D images and 3D scans at the same time.

In response to dentists’ needs for bloodless surgery that also causes the patient less discomfort, Sirona has produced a world first, the new SIROLaser Blue. Visitors to the trade fair were able to test the laser themselves directly at the Sirona booth and were extremely impressed. Besides the previous standard infrared light with a wavelength of about 970 nanometers (nm), this laser also emits blue laser light with a wavelength of 445 nm. It can be used to make clean incisions to the right depth much faster, without even touching the tissue.

New CEREC applications for orthodontics and implantology

CEREC also proved to be a center of attraction at the trade fair. In live demonstrations, restorations were fabricated for patients on the spot – a fascinating experience for many visitors. And CEREC can do more than make restorations: The data from the digital impression can also be submitted directly for ordering transparent aligners for correcting misaligned teeth. The cooperation with Align Technologies was announced at the IDS 2015 trade fair. Jeffrey T. Slovin declared: “With CEREC meets Invisalign®, we are not only creating a brand new, attractive business area, but we also hope to increase the appeal of our system.” The new CEREC Ortho software includes a patented, guided scanning process using the CEREC Omnicam, which is now also available as the CEREC AF tabletop version. The software links the CEREC world seamlessly with the Invisalign® treatment world by enabling digital models to be transmitted effortlessly.

CEREC Guide 2 now supports dentists working with implants: This surgical guide can be designed with the new CEREC SW 4.4 and produced extremely quickly and inexpensively in the practice itself.

The TENEO treatment center - the master of integration

In order to optimize treatment workflows and organize them as efficiently as possible, the TENEO treatment center includes integrated functions for implantology and endodontics. Consequently, additional tabletop units are no longer needed, practice staff save time in preparing treatments, and dentists can work with the ergonomic convenience of a single foot control. A number of new features were presented at the IDS with particular emphasis on endodontic applications: For example, the reciprocal file systems from VDW (RECIPROC®) and Dentsply Maillefer (WAVEONE®) were integrated in the file library for TENEO. TENEO is now the only treatment center on the market that offers an integrated system, enabling the user to work reciprocally, as with a corresponding tabletop unit. This transforms TENEO into a real endodontics expert, which also captivated trade fair visitors: Thomas Senghaas, a dentist from Hamburg, discussed the system with his colleagues and answered their questions. “I am pleased that this innovative treatment center has been met with so much interest,” said the Sirona testing dentist, who has actively worked on questions of ergonomics and workflow for many years. TENEO not only sets the standard for what is technically possible in terms of ergonomics, function and design, it can also be configured so that, for example, Sirona M1 users do not have to make adjustments and will immediately feel comfortable with their new TENEO.

inLab reloaded – the principle of openness

To match the new, five-axis inLab MC X5 production unit for wet and dry processing of various materials, the new inLab 15.0 software with many new features was also unveiled at the IDS. It has been designed specifically to meet the technological requirements of dental labs, guarantees greater user interaction and offers intuitive operation. inLab SW 15.0 is completely open, thus is capable, for example, of importing STL scan data from other model scanners or intraoral imaging systems and of exporting STL inLab restoration data for production on other units. The software is also the first anywhere to offer a completely new, modular price concept – without usage counter dongles, annual licenses, update commitments or expiration dates. As could be seen at the Sirona booth, this is a freedom that dental technicians have been waiting for.

Due to various certification and registration periods, not all products are immediately available in all countries.