Digital dentistry: promise, reality and the role of software standards

Up until now, dentistry was mostly carried out in the "analogue" world: X-rays were examined on film, patient information was recorded on paper, impressions were poured in plaster to create models, models were waxed and physical dental articulators were used. Today, certain steps of the process can be done digitally, but they are still digital islands in an otherwise analogue sea. For example, parts of the implant treatment planning are carried out digitally in the virtual environment. However, the surgical guide is still needed as a physical tool. Even in the so-called digital workflow of fabricating a restoration, a physical model is usually still required to test the fit of the crown.