exocad’s ChairsideCAD and exoplan Work Together to Streamline Implant Case Planning

Michael Hartman, DMD, MD, is passionate when it comes to digital technology and implant dentistry. As the owner of both an oral and maxillofacial surgery practice and a dental laboratory in central Pennsylvania, he has a comprehensive understanding of both the clinical and design aspects of implantology. His laboratory, Digital Provisionalization Technologies, specializes in designing and fabricating custom provisional components, such as healing abutments, fixed temporary restorations, and immediate dentures. "The experience of working as both a laboratory technician and a clinician has given me a unique skill set and appreciation for both the surgical and restorative aspects of implantology," he attests.

Hartman prides himself on using the most current digital technologies. He first started researching CAD/CAM laboratory software last summer. "I was looking for a solution that would allow me to design custom provisional components from guided surgery plans," he explains. "I wanted the ability to have them fabricated prior to surgery to obtain better soft-tissue emergence profiles." After speaking with Exocad representatives at a dental lab meeting, he decided to move forward with exocad's CAD/CAM software. "The company representatives helped me design an all-digital workflow that allows the design of custom healing abutments and provisional restorations for all of my guided implant cases."

Hartman enjoys applying his multitude of talents when using exocad, while also benefitting his patients. "Digital technology allows me to blend the skills I've acquired from being both a laboratory technician and a clinician to obtain better patient results with decreased surgery time and less postoperative discomfort," he observes.

As for exocad's latest software release, exoplan, Hartman notes that he is impressed with how seamlessly exocad ChairsideCAD and exoplan work in conjunction with each other. "Being able to design a precise, prosthetically driven treatment plan in Exocad and then transferring it into a surgical planning software like exoplan makes complicated case planning less time-consuming and more predictable," he says. "While it is not yet available in the United States, we've been using exoplan for the past 6 months on a research basis. When we tried the surgical guides created through exoplan on our patient models, they had exceptional fit," he asserts. "Exoplan will be very advantageous in our larger esthetic and full-arch cases."

Perhaps Hartman's favorite aspect of exoplan is the ability to share a case treatment plan with the entire team. "This ensures that the implant surgeon, restorative clinician, and dental technician can easily review all aspects of a dental implant case," he explains. This asset, he claims, leads to less confusion and uncertainty among the treatment team, facilitating a smoother process. "Any busy implant practice should consider implementing a digital workflow into its daily routine," he suggests.

With the cost of digital dental technology subsiding, Hartman strongly feels that more clinicians should implement digital workflow into their practice. Using exocad gives him the ability to work-up, plan, design, and implement any implant procedure completely digitally. He has noticed better clinical outcomes since utilizing exocad in his daily practice, and encourages others to take advantage of its benefits.

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