Fewer Visits Get Patients Smiling

Same-day dentistry has steadily gained momentum—driven by the dual engines of practice efficiency and patients’ growing expectations for faster restorations and fewer trips to the dentist. More than a decade ago, while still a predental student, Saleem Baba, DDS, got an early glimpse of this shift. He landed a job at one of the first practices in Houston to offer same-day crowns, giving him a front-row seat to the power of in-house milling.

Speed, Simplicity, and Support

Today, he’s come full circle—now delivering the same high-speed, high-quality care at FLOSS Dental in Sugar Land, TX, with the help of Glidewell’s fastmill.io In-Office Mill. The only chairside unit capable of milling BruxZir NOW crowns, the fastmill.io also supports a broad range of materials suited for everyday clinical needs, and it’s designed for both simplicity and speed.

“My biggest passion is treating patients who need urgent care, whether it be from pain or a broken front tooth,” Dr. Baba shared. “We use the fastmill.io mostly for crowns, but also for inlay/onlay restorations, immediate provisionals, and bridges.”

With simple, easy-to-master workflows—even for those who are new to CAD/CAM technology—fastmill.io includes hands-on installation and personalized, ongoing training for dentists and their team members. “I appreciate the small size of the unit, relatively low cost, and amazing customer support from Glidewell, where a designer can help you create what you are trying to achieve,” Dr. Baba added.

Skip the Oven and the Lab Fees

Dr. Baba most often fabricates BruxZir NOW crowns. Fully sintered and milled in about 40 minutes, the restorations can be delivered straight from the mill with no oven required. “The fit and strength are impeccable,” he shared.

While the fastmill.io requires an initial investment, the cost of milling crowns in-house is often less than half of what a practice typically pays in lab fees—making it a smart choice for both efficiency and overhead.

“Beyond same-day crowns, there are so many times a patient comes in after an accident that damaged their front teeth,” Dr. Baba explained. “Instead of making temporary crowns by hand, we’re able to fabricate custom temporary provisionals with the fastdesign.io software, and the patient can go home with a much better-looking restoration!”