For all the mill owners - Was it worth it ?

[desertfox384]

Ive put off considering a mill for years, it didnt ever seem worth it to me in the past... I'm curious how everyone feels about their mill and if it was worth the purchase. I'm a one man lab, I do roughly 120 units a month almost all zirconia. My biggest concern is roi and time spent babysitting or repairing machines, and in a smaller degree the learning curves. Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[rkm rdt]

Best thing I ever did.
Not getting one.

 

[Car 54]

As a one-man lab, who most of the time tries to keep up daily with the work, it's the best investment I made. I can mill bigger bridge design cases in wax, confirm the design, the occlusion, the anterior overjet etc, before I mill it and sinter it. If I had consistent part-time help I could afford to pay, I may opt to send out. But it really is nice to have the control and options a mill brings to my lab.

Last Friday I delivered the right side posteriors of a full mouth and previously noticed the impression had distortion on a molar that I wasn't able to overcome, so I adjusted the margins a bit, and milled a PMMA temp (glazed) with the case for him to use while we get ready for the other side. It's on-the-fly stuff for me that helps to make things go more smoothly.

But, now you will be spending money on burs, zirconia discs and some normal maintenance parts. Then do you have a sintering oven? The learning curve can depend on the CAM, Programill's CAM is pretty easy to use.

At 120 units a month, you don't think it would pay for itself over 3-5? years. It's also an expense write-off, whether it's through depreciation, or a one-time write-off.

edit: you would also have greater control of the zirconia you would want to use, rather than a milling center zirconia, or hunting down a vendor or lab who will mill the zirconia you would prefer to use.

edit: my poor spelling

 

[Tayebdental]

Simply put, the best thing I ever did was to go fully digital beside being grateful none of my boys ever considered with (my advice) to be dental lab tech ever.

 

[TheLabGuy]

Milling has been awesome, we have been at it for a bit but usually it's one of the best things we have done in the lab. We pulled the trigger at 90 units/month.

 

[Car 54]

Milling has been awesome, we have been at it for a bit but usually it's one of the best things we have done in the lab. We pulled the trigger at 90 units/month.

So with desertfox being at around 120 units a month, it should be an even quicker RIO on the mill.
Let alone saving money on the return units shipping costs.

 

[Tayebdental]

Intra oral scans, designing, milling, sintering and finishing been the best thing since sliced cucumbers

 

[desertfox384]

I know there is a decent roi at my unit number - my question lies with yearly maintenance costs, and time spent fiddling with the machine etc. what is the avg yearly maintenance costs for all of you ?

 

[Tayebdental]

If you maintain your equipments, you get years of trouble free operation, but once in a while you need to replace parts which is normal,

 

[cadfan]

120 units , its a no brainer just go for it.

 

[Car 54]

If you keep the mill clean, it's not to much of an issue. I've had my VHF K5 (Ivoclar Dry Mill) for about 2 years, and have yet to service, "maintenance" it (i.e. parts). Keeping it clean is key. I clean mine 2-3 times a week before I mill.

I know you really can't use this as far as your research, but my Mini Mill has never needed costly maintenance, just the touch plate and rubber grommets as needed over the last 7 years, no spindle yet. It may have needed a new spindle sooner, but the Dry mill took over a lot of the workload.

 

[Tayebdental]

Speaking of maintenance, I have one of the porcelain furnaces in operation for thirty years which is a commodore ll VPF and one of the hand pieces is an Osada XL-030 been going for more that thirty years

 

[TheLabGuy]

We have been milling for 12 years now. I'd have to look but I believe we have 6 mills now and are adding the last two to the arsenal in the fall. Granted, not all do the same thing but for maintenance it's not bad at all. We keep a log book, and whatever the instructions say...we do it an put in the log book. If you keep them long enough, something will break, may even be catastrophic. Make sure you still have a good outsource place to send your mills or get another mill as backup. I've had to fly in the Roland guys in a couple times in the last ten years due to machine breakage. Personally, for me it ain't the mill...it's the support from where you purchase the mill. Hence why I really like Axsys and Ivoclar. Both companies immediately jump to fix when something is wrong, have loaners, or even will mill it for you while yours is getting fixed. Just my thoughts.

 

[Harry Park]

Ive put off considering a mill for years, it didnt ever seem worth it to me in the past... I'm curious how everyone feels about their mill and if it was worth the purchase. I'm a one man lab, I do roughly 120 units a month almost all zirconia. My biggest concern is roi and time spent babysitting or repairing machines, and in a smaller degree the learning curves. Any thoughts are appreciated!

I work in CAD/CAM sales and most of technicians or doctors were satisfied with milling machine.
One of our customer I met few weeks ago, he regretted not to jump into digital faster. He had considered more than few years and just started to use milling machine last year. Even he was about 70 years old, it wasn't difficult to learn and said it only took a year to get return for the investing into machine.
Of course he needed some technical support, because he is not familiar with PC.
Depends on equipment you use, the maintenance price will be different. The quality and price of materials and tools are very different depends on the vendors.
I highly recommend to get a machine. It makes easier and faster in your workflow.

 

[millennium]

I am a one man lab, had been outsourcing for six years before I bought my mill two years ago in June. First of all I am jealous of you because I can only produce 60 units per month on the average. The quality of the milling centers I sent to has been going down over time, that feeling that you want to throw up from being nervous when you open up the incoming box with your units and the unreliability of fedex and ups made me take the plunge.
Now I get to control what I get from the mill. It's kind of win and loose timewise for me, you loose time because of maintenance and manning the mill (nesting, cleaning, loading etc.) but you gain time because you can finish your zr in green state. Especially the margins. Also finishing bridges especially anterior interproximally is awesome.
As far as money, I spent about $2,000 per year on shipping so now the two year maintenance cost me $3,000 but the tech came out to my lab so I didn't have to ship the mill, so basically zero down time. It's about $300 per year for the filters and oil for the compressor and air dryer.
Yes you spend money on pucks but each unit costs you $8 instead of $35 or more.
Bottom line, it's a give and take for a one man lab but if you want it done your way all the way get the mill but only with the most accessible tech support.

 

[CatamountRob]

I’m 57, I want less to do not more, if I was 27 I’d be thinking about a mill.
Maybe I’m 58, I can never remember.

 

[rkm rdt]

My mill needs changing

 

[Tayebdental]

My mill needs changing

Reminds me of my grandson

 

[Car 54]

I’m 57, I want less to do not more, if I was 27 I’d be thinking about a mill.
Maybe I’m 58, I can never remember.

Well, he does look to be a little younger than you, maybe also a little healtier? I'd check the pesticides you're putting on your garden vegetables, just sayin

 

[Tayebdental]

I’m 57, I want less to do not more, if I was 27 I’d be thinking about a mill.
Maybe I’m 58, I can never remember.

You have to make up your mind my friend CRob, are you 57 or 58?