Intelliscan - Intraoral 3D Digital Workflow Scanner

Placing an implant scan body (substitute for a transfer/impression coping for conventional impressions) into the implant site before scanning allows for taking digital impressions. Implant scan bodies represent the position and orientation of the implant respective to the dental implant, restorative abutment and analog for CAD/CAM workflows. This allows digital design software to correctly align implant restorations.

Digital Implant Models (DIM) can be 3D printed with respective DIM analogs placed into models representing soft tissue with special resins, resulting in accurate and complete restorative implant-supported crowns with truly accurate digitally produced models.

Using an intraoral scanner for crowns and bridges can reduce patient discomfort and eliminate the need for impression materials. Digital impressions are efficient and simplify clinical procedures for the dentist, eliminating plaster models and allowing better communication with the dental technician and with patients.

At times, it can be difficult to capture deep margin lines on prepared teeth and in the case of bleeding or saliva, there is a learning curve and should be treated as a traditional impression. Fully retracted soft tissues should be done for any margins that are at the gingiva or sub-gingivally prepared.

Digital impressions are sufficiently accurate for capturing impressions for fabricating a whole series of prosthetic restorations inlays/onlays, copings and frameworks and single unit crowns.

Partials and partial dentures are traditional acrylic flippers and stayplates, cast metal frame, hybrid and Bayflex partial dentures has been proven successful. The need to capture all soft and hard tissues, vestibules and ridges are required for a precise fitting partial denture.

Full dentures tend to be more challenging, as the ability for border molding poses the biggest issue with complete dentures. More studies need to be done in order to create a better workflow for complete dentures.