電腦輔助設計或製作(CAD/CAM)在醫療方面的應用漸漸被普及,特別在牙科的復假牙製作上是討論比較多的話題。在牙科醫療上,自1980年已有開始發展電腦輔助設計或製作CAD/CAM系統。現時臨床使用的口內數位印模系統用於贗復假牙製作有不同的廠牌和材料,其主要差異是系統的模具作用原理(working principle),掃描光源(light source),材料噴灑覆蓋方式(powder coat spraying),操作過程(operative process)與輸出檔案格式(output file format)等而有所不同。近期研究都認同數位印模在工作時效上確有更好的表現,比傳統印模方式有更快速而節省時間的優點。而且在印模流程上,病患的舒適度及復假牙的密合貼合度上有更好的結果。
The techniques of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) are long developed and are being applied in the field of prosthodontics recently. The concept of intraoral digital impressions was put forward in the early 1980s. The working principle, light source, and operation process of different systems such as CEREC, LAVA COS, and iTero are improved and modified. Many published articles have indicated that dental prostheses fabricated using intraoral digital impressions obtained remarkable benefits such as work efficiency, patients' perception, treatment comfort and repeatability. The further improvement of the intraoral digital impression technique will lead to its wide use in dentistry.