All Together Now

The benefits of the Carestream Dental digital integrated workflow

By David Little, DDS

As a practicing dentist with over 30 years of experience, I have witnessed the advent of digital technology in dental practices and experienced firsthand its transformative effects on practice workflows and patient care. By integrating all my digital technology into one uninterrupted workflow, I can provide the highest level of quality care and maximize my ROI, without worrying about compatibility issues or limiting which laboratories I can partner with.

In my practice, we put a strong focus on implant surgery. Implant planning serves as the perfect example of how a digital integrated workflow can benefit dentists, laboratories, and patients alike. Even before I brought digital systems in-house, I considered 3-dimensional imaging a necessity for implant procedures. Now that I have these systems in my office, I’m able to use my Carestream Dental CS 3600 intraoral scanner and CS 9300C system to more accurately plan and place implants. First, I take a CBCT scan with the CS 9300C to evaluate the bone 3-dimensionally. Then, I take an intraoral digital impression using the CS 3600. The two files are merged together, which allows for planning implant placements with a restorative focus. With this information, a surgical guide can be prepared by a third-party laboratory.

Consider this workflow from a short clinical case. A 47-year-old patient presented at my practice seeking implants to replace missing teeth Nos. 4 and 5. I followed my typical all-digital workflow for implant cases: a clinical exam with images captured by an intraoral camera, followed by a CBCT scan with the CS 9300C, and an intraoral digital impression taken with the CS 3600. The open DICOM and STL files created by the CBCT system and intraoral scanner were sent to my laboratory of choice to be digitally merged for fabrication of a surgical guide, which was returned to me in a short time. Once I had the surgical guide, implants were placed. After integration, the healing abutments were removed and scan bodies were placed then scanned with the CS 3600 for fabrication of the final screw-retained restorations. With all components working together, the Carestream Dental digital workflow allowed for a much faster process than traditional methods.

Disclaimer: The statements and opinions contained in the preceding material are not necessarily those of the editors, publisher, or the Editorial Board of Inside Dental Technology.

Key Takeaways

› The Carestream Dental digital workflow system helps maximize ROI and quality of restorations
› The ability to bring together different scans to construct a fully 3D view of patient anatomy allows for confident implant placement
› Carestream Dental’s open systems allow doctors to work with the software and solutions that meet their needs

About the Author

David Little, DDS
Private Practice
San Antonio, TX

Clinical Director
OsteoReady Implant Solutions

Manufacturer Information
Carestream Dental
carestreamdental.com
800-944-6365