For many years now, the use of digital scanners have become reliable and easy-to-use tools, and they got an increasingly relevant space in the daily routine. In parallel, many materials have been specially developed for use with digital technologies, from ceramics to reinforced composites, both for chairside technologies and for manufacturing in the dental lab. However, it would be a mistake to delegate the choice of restorative material to the dental technician or to concentrate the types of blocks for our chairside milling machine on few materials like ceramics only. In fact, numerous materials have interesting biomechanical characteristics and their ease of use, of milling and polishing can be decisive factors in clinical practice to keep the quality and profitability of a digitally oriented dental practice.

The lecture will investigate some mechanical and technical properties of different materials, their performance when used as cad-cam blocks, considering advantages and disadvantages of different luting techniques. Moreover, some details will be provide regarding the strategies for tooth preparation in order to get a better fit when using a digital intraoral scanner.