The original CEREC 3D with the red cam and compact mill was and still is a fantastic system. The key to sucess with that system was of course the 3 P's. Prep, powder and PICTURE. I capitalize picture because I always felt that it was the most important part of the three. It was necessary to take a properly aligned, non pitched or yawed image of your prep, that showed your entire margin. For each restoration, one image was great, two was OK, three was pushing the limit and over that you may have been doomed by image averaging. Averaging occurs when, because of camera angulation, a lack of powder or blood and saliva creeping onto a margin, two or more images of the same area appeared to the software to be slightly different. An average of that data, right or wrong was the result and we built our restorations to that averaged area. On the whole we still ended up with an exceptional product. Once in a great while we had a short margin or a tight fit or an open contact and we couldn't figure out why. Along comes the CEREC AC with the blue cam and we now find ourselves needing to unlearn some things and relearn others. First, extra images are not necessarily a bad thing. As long as they are good images we can take a few extra and not worry about averaging. Most importantly, we can build larger models and not be appreciably slowed down because our systems have an abundance of power and improved graphics capabilities. So what does this mean for us clinically? Well, right now we have faster transitions when we green arrow. Nicer looking virtual models with less powder needed, margins that are easily discernable and that pop out at us when we marginate and finally, larger models which allow us to tweak our proposals with greater accuracy. In the future, we can only imagine the possibilities. Proposals that can be based more upon information obtained from our larger models which show more of the adjacent teeth. Right now, inlays and onlays are built from information given by the remaining cusps and inclines. Crowns don't have remaining cusps so it only makes sense that this information will be gotten from adjacent teeth. Larger models may give way to easier quadrent work with simultaneous design capabilities. We can do it now with temporary bridges, why not with with multiple, single tooth restorations? The forward thinking of Sirona's software designers does not always make sense to us in the present. One thing needs to be introduced, become perfected and proficient in, before the next can be introduced. Thankfully, we just do our day to day work, changing and adapting as we go. We can let them worry about the logistics. We are all part of a plan that is gaining strength and momentum and will beneft us greatly as practitioners in the future. Enjoy the ride!!