New CAD/CAM Resins Are Better. They're Also Expensive. Does It Matter?

New CAD/CAM Resins Are Better. They're Also Expensive. Does It Matter?

Vita and Cerec released new ceramic and hybrid resins in July that claim 20% higher durability and better stain resistance. They cost 15-30% more than the standard blocks. The question: Do your patients care enough to pay for it?

Most insurance won't reimburse the premium. You're eating the cost or marking it up as an upgrade. If you're averaging 8-10 same-day restorations per week, that's an extra $400-600 in material cost per week. That's $20K-30K annually.

Here's the math: If it prevents 2-3 replacements annually that you'd otherwise do for free due to failure, you break even. Ask your rep for a clinical data package showing failure rates vs. standard blocks. If the data is weak, stick with what you know works.