July 9, 2013
The method of CAD/CAM dentistry to provide restorations has been making its way into more and more dental offices lately, but it was only in January of 2013 that it made its way aboard USS Frank Cable, a submarine tender currently stationed in Guam.
Frank Cable was christened in 1978 as a repair ship for navalsubmarines and is the first ship in the Pacific Fleet to start using CAD/CAM onboard, according to the U.S. Navy website. The implementation, of course, is a huge convenience. Now, instead of waiting up to eight weeks for restorations to be complete, sailors can have a fully restored crown in a day.
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In apress release issued by the U.S. Navy, Cmdr. Harold Zald, senior dental officer on board Frank Cable expressed how the new technology will change life on board the submarine. “CAD/CAM technology has changed the way Frank Cable is able to provide dental services to its sailors.”
More sailors are accepting the new treatment because of convenience and experience, according to Lt. David Curke, a general dental officer aboard Frank Cable. “With this new digital system, we can prepare teeth, obtain highly accurate digital images, make needed corrections and, in short order, do a digital, three-dimensional design at chair side and complete the dental treatment in one day.”
