One of the things I really love about CEREC and cerecdoctors.com is that rarely a day passes where I don't learn something new. I think it's great when a topic or process that is unclear to me suddenly just makes total sense. Sometimes it's the repetition of hearing it several times, but usually it's just the way the topic is presented or discussed that just hits a chord.

Recently there was a discussion board thread that did such a thing. Not an earth-shattering subject, maybe not even a topic that will change my technique at all. It is more like a clarity or understanding that just drives a point home. The discussion was about design techniques and when to use them. It was more of a poll with people chiming in with their opinions.

The general consensus was:

BioCopy for special posterior situations, like crowning a tooth that is a partial denture abutment or resides under an orthodontic aligner or night guard. Anteriorly, it is the design method of choice when we want to copy teeth with favorable shape and alignment, mocked-up situations or temporaries made to ideal specifications. That's generally the way it's been for a long time. Nothing really new here.

Biogeneric Individual for most posterior applications not listed above. That, hands down is what most are doing. Using BioCopy posteriorly was the way most did it years ago, but the Biogeneric process has gotten so good that most are now using it almost exclusively. Granted, there are exceptions to every rule, so use your clinical judgment and what you are most comfortable with. Using Biogeneric designs anteriorly can be done, but it can be a crap-shoot at times. For this we have other choices.

Biogeneric Reference is the best reason to avoid Biogeneric Individual in the anterior, and here is the thing that gave me clarity on the subject. Like I said, not-earth shattering, but makes sense for me. Use Biogeneric Reference anteriorly to copy the anatomy of a central or lateral. This will avoid the need for a mock-up to allow for Biocopy or the roll of the dice with Biogeneric Individual. Does NOT use Biogeneric Reference in the posterior to, say, copy a premolar when designing a molar. Sure it will work, but why use it when we have such a strong Biogeneric process? The exception might be when we have a lone molar or a bunch of blown-out adjacent teeth with limited, valuable data to base a proposal off of. Mostly however, I now think of Biogeneric Reference as an anterior design option that works great.

I may change my mind in the future, and that's ok. For now, that's what I took away from that thread and that is why I love what I do. The learning never ends and never gets old as long as you are open to accept it.