Intraoral Scanners and Digital Implant Impressioning

Going digital improves restoration design and turnaround time

Albensi Laboratories leverages the strength of its computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) tech­nology to provide quality, cost-effective implant restorations to its customers. Albensi Laboratories is a full-service, domestic laboratory that has been creating smiles of satisfaction since 1979. The company is progressively evolving as new technology emerges through digital workflow and innovative material choices.

Digital impressions of implants with an intraoral scanner are now possible with several scanners on the market, including Cadent™ iTero®, Lava™ Chairside Oral Scanner C.O.S., and 3M™ True Definition. Scanner manufacturers have cooperated with select implant manufacturers to facilitate this process.

Biomet 3i™ uses the already existing Encode® abutment. Installed Encode abutments are simply scanned with the Cadent iTero, Lava Chairside Oral Scanner C.O.S., or the 3M True Definition, and the scan data are transmitted to Biomet 3i, which then forwards a copy of the abutment design file to Albensi Laboratories. A physical model of the dentition is produced and the designed restoration is milled or pressed. By receiving the digital design of the abutment, Albensi Laboratories can reduce the design and production time.

Benefits of Digital Impressions of Implants

With other implant systems, the healing abutment is removed from the implant and the appropriate scan peg is installed onto the implant. Scanning commences once proper seating of the scan peg is verified. After the scan peg is verified, the dentist can proceed with scanning and submit the case to Albensi Laboratories. Other implant systems include Atlantis™, Inclusive®, and many more. Each manufacturer produces a chart to verify compatibility with custom abutments, titanium abutments, zirconia with a titanium base, all-zirconia, and CAD/CAM milled implant bars.

With Biomet 3i or other implant systems, Albensi Laboratories merges the outsourced abutment design into a single case to produce the final restoration. The scan file provides an early start for design of the final restoration. This streamlined process aids in reducing the overall production time of the final restoration.

Benefits to the Dentist and Laboratory Relationship

There are several benefits to the dentist and the laboratory for using an intraoral scanner to scan an implant. Benefits to the dentist include higher accuracy in capturing the impression through an intraoral scanner, eliminating the shipping time and cost for sending the transfer-post impression to the laboratory, reduced overall production time of the final restoration, and quicker return of the final restoration to the dentist. The benefits to the laboratory are providing the ability to quickly start the design for the final restoration (once the outsourced abutment design is merged into a single case) and faster turnaround time on the finalized restoration.

Conclusion

Newer technology is continually improving the relationship between the dentist and the laboratory. The use of digital impressions for implants further improves that relationship and also offers patients the benefit of improved design and quicker turnaround time.

For more information, contact:

Albensi Laboratories
Phone: 800-734-3064
Web: www.albensilab.com

Disclaimer

The preceding material was provided by the manufacturer. The statements and opinions contained therein are solely those of the manufacturer and not of the editors, publisher, or the Editorial Board of Inside Dentistry.