	The past 12 months seem like a whirlwind in retrospect. In a year that included all the usual product tradeshows PLUS an International Dental Show in Cologne, Germany, 2015 brought a slew of new innovations. From cutting-edge 3D printing solutions to new software to new milling options, this year brought new solutions to the dental lab that will change the industry for years to come. 

Must read: The top 5 dental lab techniques of 2015!

So here are the top products of 2015 as determined by our lab readers! As always, these were compiled based on page views on our website, DLPMagazine.com. We promise to continue to bring you the product news that will help you do your job better even as the benchtop grows more and more digitized. Click the button below and learn what were some of the biggest releases of 2015!

totally new digital dentistry scanning solution

 at the International Dental Show in Cologne, Germany. The D2000 is designed to have improved accuracy and multiline scanning, a breakthrough scan technology that has been shown in trials to increase scanning speeds by upwards of 30 percent. 

 is a high performance polymer (HPP) with reportedly 80 percent higher compressive strength than PEEK polymer. Pekkton can be milled, like PEEK, but also pressed, reportedly making it the first HPP most labs are able to process in-house. Labs are said to be able to use this ivory polymer to create lightweight, resilient frames and substructures for ceramic, e.max, acrylic and composite. 

High noble selective laser melted (SLM) substructures

 are manufactured from Argen’s Argedent Euro, an economical, high noble white gold alloy containing 40 percent gold. Benefits of SLM substructures reportedly include better fit, consistent results, increased productivity and competitive pricing. Dental laboratories submit STL files to argendigital.com and receive high noble SLM single-unit crowns to six-unit bridges in only two business days.

 is a heavy-duty four-axis industrial milling machine optimized for the manufacture of titanium custom abutments at an economical price. Titanium cylinders are used to mill abutments in a specially designed holder that allows fast interchange. The MA-4 mill automatically changes up to three tools and is engineered with a precise z-axis height sensor to indicate tool wear. High quality components reportedly are used in the engineering and manufacture of the mill, including a single-speed spindle with a 30,000-hour warranty. Finished abutments can be milled in 15 to 25 minutes. A cutting liquid recirculating system, CAM software and a large abutment library are included with the mill. 

 offers eight different high performance resins that can be changed from one job to the next in less than 30 seconds. Varseo is designed to produce highly accurate splints, surgical guides, CAD/cast partial frames, C&B patterns, as well as custom impression trays. Indications were also scheduled to be expanded to include denture bases, models and temporary crowns and bridges. The printer accepts any STL file and comes standard with 3Shape CAMbridge software for support positioning and nesting. Varseo is said to offer excellent building speed, high accuracy, a user-friendly display and a cartridge system that allows the material to be changed in seconds. 

	The FDA officially approved a 510(k) for the use of 

 as a denture base. The material is a light-cured resin indicated for the fabrication and repair of full and partial removable dentures and baseplates that is said to eventually replace traditional heat-cured and auto polymerizing conventional denture-making methods.  

, clinicians can scan patients’ teeth directly to acquire true-color, 3D images. It offers high angulation scanning of up to 45 degrees and a depth of 16 mm. The scanner features a light guidance system that navigates users through the image acquisition process. With the ability to instantly generate STL files, it lets clinicians own their data and send impressions to labs with no fees. It is also said to be a more pleasant experience for patients.  

. Manufactured by Dental Direkt of Germany, cubeX

 cubic zirconia is reportedly a material breakthrough for technicians who are searching for esthetics combined with material excellence. This highly biocompatible cubic zirconia combines the strength of zirconia (720 MPas) and the translucency of lithium disilicate into a material that is indicated for single tooth and three-unit bridgework for any position in the arch. The discs are available in 98.5 mm diameter size.  

	Dental Wings has released the latest version of its software, Version 5.0. There are new features and several improvements, in addition to bug fixes. ETI’s Digital Technology’s technical team reportedly has tested and validated the new features of 

 and, according to a press release, the team finds it more efficient with faster scanning and calculation times and better proposals. Reported new features include pontic shapes, natural connectors when anatomies are in contact and much more. Improvements to the software include scanning improvements, full-denture options, solutions for implants and bars and 3D PDF output.  

	Glidewell Laboratories announced the release of BruxZir™ Shaded 16 blocks compatible with 

 MC XL milling machines, the dental CAD/CAM solutions from Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. The blocks, available in both 20x19 and 40x19 sizes, are to be distributed exclusively by Henry Schein, Inc. BruxZir™ Shaded 16, the series of preshaded zirconia blocks matching all 16 VITA Classical shades, is an iteration of the BruxZir™ Solid Zirconia line. Reportedly known for its superior strength and unique vital translucence, the addition of inLab

-compatible BruxZir™ Shaded 16 blocks to the 

 portfolio is said to deliver consistency and complete shade penetration to dental technicians implementing Sirona’s CEREC

	By enabling the digital production of monolithic zirconia crowns and bridges, 

™ from Glidewell Laboratories reportedly offers dental labs the most affordable means of providing the CAD/CAM-produced restorations doctors demand. 

 is a complete one-stop solution, unlocking a digital portal through which cases can be scanned, designed, managed and produced. Benefits include a high resolution scanner, digital design options and potential outsourcing to Glidewell’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Users are able to log in to the portal from any Internet-connected device to see the real-time statuses of cases and orchestrate adjustments as necessary. Cases can be immediately digitized and sent to the cloud from where they can be managed and distributed to Internet-connected CAD/CAM equipment. 

 extends the range of press ingots to include a new level of translucency. The 

 are monochromatic ingots of the medium translucency range. They consist of the tried-and-tested lithium disilicate glass-ceramic material and are said to ensure clinical long-term success and flexibility during cementation. The IPS e.max Press MT ingots replace the existing IPS e.max Press Impulse Value ingots. The IPS e.max Press Impulse Opal ingots are not affected by this change and will remain part of the range.  

Articles

Dental Lab Products looks at the most-viewed products of 2015, via numbers taken from its website.

The top 25 most-viewed products of 2015

	2015 may have come and gone without the Cubs winning the World Series, the hoverboard being on shelves everywhere or Marty McFly appearing from 1985, but it certainly came with its fair share of change! The dental laboratory world was no exception; changes came fast and furious, particularly because it was a year when the International Dental Show occurred and previewed some of the most cutting-edge solutions coming to the dental lab world. 

	With the year behind us, it’s time to take a look back at some of the trends that impacted dental laboratories this year and will continue to impact them into 2016 and beyond.

 were everywhere. From fully digital outsourcing options to announcements of new workflows still to come to fruition and a myriad of new CAD options for denture production, the denture workflow has finally begun to evolve with new technology. While the full potential of digital tools on the denture workflow has yet to be realized, 2015 offered some tantalizing glimpses at some of the possibilities. Suddenly, full dentures produced entirely from digital files don’t seem like such a far away option.

Must read: 10 things you NEED to know about 3D printing

	2015 felt like the year that CAD modules started to really take off. We 

 to create implants, partials, dentures and more, using the same software many labs already have with their scanner. These new options open up new revenues for labs and make design software even more versatile for a variety of indications. As these new modules become more user-friendly and tested, perhaps the silo-ing of certain tasks to certain tools will be a thing of the past.

Next page: 3D printing, business realities and more ...

	This was the first year where it seemed like the thing 3D printer manufacturers have been hinting at, printing entirely finished dental prostheses and restorations with the push of a button, seemed to come closer to reality. New materials mimic the feel of gingiva, and we saw our first 

FDA-approved 3D-printable denture material

. We’re also seeing new 3D printers that can 

layer different materials over one another

 get approved and machines improve in effectiveness and efficiency, what seemed like sci-fi is quickly becoming the status quo.

Free ebook: 5 reasons you should take your lab management to the cloud

4. Business struggles continue but evening out?

 showing the number of labs in the United States is decreasing. Additionally, 

salary numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 show wages for dental technicians are growing slowly even as the number of total labs continues to decrease. But there are also signs the trends may be evening out. Labs are contracting at a slower rate, and wages are rising, albeit slowly. 2016 will likely show how some of these numbers will bear out, but hopefully the worst of the numbers are behind us.

	As the digital workflow continues to change how labs and dentists work together, the line between the two has gotten even more subtle in the last 12 months. Dentists are 

, and lab technicians are being invited chairside to offer their expertise on tricky implant cases. Technology and materials innovations bring dramatic changes for both labs and dentists, which means it’s no longer possible for dental technicians to only pay attention to new lab products. They must educate themselves on new methods to receive, process and turn around cases. The new workflows present some exciting opportunities, and the next year will show how much is possible with these new technologies.

Top photo: Martin Barraud / Getty Images

Ryan Hamm, editor of Dental Lab Products, counts down the top 5 trends that affected the dental laboratory world in 2015.

Dental Lab Products December 2015

The top 25 most-viewed products of 2015

The top 5 dental lab trends of 2015