In late 2019 Hassbio, the manufacturer of Amber Mill, released a Rapid Fire process so that users could save considerable clinical time. The new Rapid Fire heating process takes just 16 minutes and it doesn't matter what translucency you want to have (MO, LT, MT or HT).

In fact, the Amber material is unique in that you do not need to purchase blocks by shade AND translucency, but rather by shade alone. That means you order an A2 and, through the heating process, you can decide if it should be an A2 MO, A2, LT, A2, MT or an A2 HT. What is the benefit? Less blocks you need to store in your practice!

The second thing that is unique to Amber Mill is the ultra-fine particle structure. They call it nano-particle, but because the particles are so small the blocks actually mill better, without the chipping we see with other high-strength glass ceramics.

Lastly, Amber Mill has incredible esthetics! The material appears warm where it should be warm, and cooler/translucent where it should be translucent. Again, this comes down to their chemistry and it seems here Amber has an advantage over all the other lithium silicate/disilicate materials on the market today.

So, how does the Rapid Fire heating process work? All you have to do is program it into your furnace. We recommend printing the Amber Mill "Cheat Sheet" document below and keeping it near your furnace. You can download the cheat sheet by clicking the image below:

The Amber Mill 16 min "Cheat Sheet"

 

And for those of you new to Amber Mill, this video gives a good overview:

 

And a few Amber Mill cases from CEREC users:

Courtesy: Dr. Allan Smelt

Courtesy: Dr. Allan Smelt

 

Courtesy: Dr. Allan Smelt

 

Courtesy: Dr. Yao Lin Tang

Courtesy: Dr. Yao Lin Tang

 

Ready to give Amber Mill a try? 

Wait, I have a question...

Yes, what is your question?

I have been using the blue block since a long time and I've never had any issues (knock on wood). So why should I try another material in the same category?

We agree with you - the blue block has performed incredibly well since its introduction. We are not speaking against that material. Rather, we are speaking for Amber Mill based on the attributes of the material and cost. As mentioned above, translucencies are controlled through the heating process, not your inventory. Second, the smaller particles result in less chipping of margins, which everyone likes. Third, the esthetics seem to be better. Lastly, Amber Mill from DCC costs just €18/block versus €25/block. Saving €7 a block is almost 30% savings on blocks, typically the largest sinlge CAD/CAM consumable expense per year. How often do you get a chance to reduce costs by ca. 30%?

Okay, it seems to have some nice properties. But why fix something that isn't broken?

Often that is true, but then again, how did you get into CAD/CAM in the first place? The inlay/onlay/crown procedure in dentistry is almost unchanged in 50+ years. You don't need CAD/CAM to make onlays. On the other hand, using chairside CAD/CAM brings other benefits, and that is probably why you integrated it into your practice. Amber Mill is similar. You can practice without it, but with lower inventory, better margins and esthetics, isn't it worth testing in your practice?

I'm worried that if I place a few hundred of them, I will have to replace them later. Haven't you heard of Celtra Do-Over?

Of course, we understand that too! Everyone has different ways to assess risk - why not start slowly? Place some Amber in a few tough situations and then observe... How do they perform in tough situations? If they perform well, you can expand the range of indication at your own pace of comfort.

Last but not least, I heard Amber Mill is not listed in my software. How do I even use them if I cannot select Amber as one of the material choices?

Correct, Amber Mill is not yet included in some softwares, but this is short term. In the meantime you can select the blue block as your material and insert Amber Mill into the milling chamber. Users do not report any problems with this work around! So go ahead and test Amber in your practice next week!

P