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anddesignrestorationswithunmatchedspeed,con- sistency and precision. Laboratories are reporting thattheyareabletocreatevastlymoreworkwiththe samenumberofstaffandinsomecasescompetefor large-volume business, such as government-funded restorations, because the laboratory’s cost structure has suddenly become more favourable. Suddenly, the painstaking task of working in wax has been elevated to state-of-the-art design. Numerous laboratory owners stated that the appeal of haptics has helped them to attract, quickly train and retain younger computer-savvy technicians en- tering the dental laboratory field. Other laboratories havereportedthatbecauseofhaptics,theyhavebeen able to teach individuals who are not trained labora- torytechnicianstousethesystemcorrectlyandpro- ductively, expanding the pool of people from which they can hire. _What is haptics Haptics refers to sensing and manipulation throughtouch.Thewordhapticsoriginatedfromthe Greekwordshaptikosandhapthesthai,whichmeans tograsportotouch.Hapticdevicesenablecomputer users to touch and manipulate virtual objects by feel within a true 3-D space. SensAble’sfounderspioneeredthedevelopmentof atypeofhapticsnowcalledforcefeedback,wherethe computerreceivestheforceexertedbyaperson’snat- uraltouchandthenreturnsaresultingforcetotheuser as he/she manipulates 3-D models on screen. What dentallaboratorytechniciansexperienceisthatwhen theymovetheirhand,themovementsendshapticin- put—data about force and position—to the computer viathehapticdevice.Thecomputermakesappropriate graphical changes to the 3-D model of the dental restoration on screen—sometimes called rendering— while it calculates and sends the correct amount of forcefeedbackbacktotheuserthroughthehapticde- vice.Aneasywaytothinkaboutthistypeofhapticsis toimaginetheforcesthatyouexperienceagainstyour handandarmwhenpushingopenaheavyglassdoor. _How touchability speeds dental restoration design LaboW.Hoet&Co.,afull-servicedentallaboratory inGhent,Belgium,whichhasbeeninbusinessformore than 35 years, provides restorations to dentists in the Flemish part of Belgium, Brussels and other European countries.Thefamily-runlaboratoryemploys24peo- ple and has worked with the SensAble Dental Lab System for the past year. Initially, the firm purchased thesolutionforusewithpartials,butwhenitsowners took a closer look at the crown and bridge software, they decided to expand the use of the SensAble sys- tem throughout its everyday workflow. At present, the laboratory has one person who scans full time in preparation for designing both partials and crown and bridge work. An- other laboratory tech- niciandesignsfulltime. With this approach, Labo Hoet is able to manufacture nearly all of its crown and bridge restorations digitally. For several years, Labo Hoet owner Jan van Ooteghem was con- vinced about utilising digital solutions in the crown and bridge divi- sion,buthadnotfound a CAD/CAM system for partials that actually worked. Labo Hoet had viewed a number of software packages but none produced a satisfying result. When the laboratory saw partials created using the SensAble system, it was convinced that it was possibletousethisasthemainsolutioninitspartials division.Initially,thefirmthoughtthehapticdevice— which the team calls “the designing pen”—was just a gimmick to be different. But the technicians soon realised that the device really made a difference. Now, technicians can feel in three dimensions and, for partials, this is a particular benefit since their curves, multiple thicknesses and individual nature varygreatlyfrompatienttopatient.Thehapticdevice has actually become “a third hand for the designer”. Labo Hoet reports that the SensAble system saves the laboratory at least 30 % of the time it would take to create a partial manually. In general, the partials software has made it possible for Labo Hoet to boost its productivity, making more partials with the same number of technicians. Furthermore, the final restorations are much more consistent, accurate and detailed. With the software’s true 3-D capabilities, technicians can save time by not having to switch views all the time or having the software render an- othersection.Thehapticdeviceallowsthedesignerto feelintoanareaoftherestoration—behindthecorner of a restoration—in a way that is better than if they wereonlyabletoseeit.UsingtheSensAbleDentalLab System, Labo Hoet is able to design partials quickly, more consistently, and as a combined result the re- storationsaremucheasiertofinishoncecast.Various conventionalstepsinthepartialdesignandmanufac- turing process have disappeared, such as making the refractorymodel,resultinginadditionaltimeandcost savings from materials that are no longer used. Fig. 2 Fig. 2_Digital wax upper with housing for attachments. I 39 industry report _ SensAble Technologies I CAD/CAM 2_2010