Introduction to intraoral digital impression scan of dental implants
Farida El Khouli
June 1, 2021
In the past years the need to prepare the patients for recall appointments has been mandatory to allow for implants exposure and abutment components replacement including healing screw , healing abutment , transfere coping all used in conventional impression approaches . First approach in implant scanning introduced scannable coded healing abutments which were initially used with conventional impressions , yet all previous approaches subjected the risk of trauma of peri-implant soft tissue interface due to subsequent covering and uncovering of exposed dental implant at the implant level soft tissue interface. Now in past few years a number of scans available in market that allow for one time “Digital” impression taking in aim to spare trauma at the implant soft tissue interface and sustain patient’s comfort with revolutions to be less technique sensitive .
Now , the workflow have been changed with the introduction of intra oral scanners in dentistry. This article presents step by step intraoral and extraoral digtal impression components placement used with digital IntraOralScanners for designing and fabrication of digital implant prosthetics .
1
Ti Base
CADCAM transmucuosal abutment connection at the implant level which is screwed to the implant and on software design will represent the abutment coping (adhesive or screw retained base) on which final prosthetic design will be designed and seated .
Presented with gingival height sizes (length of Ti base) varying from (0.5 – 4 ) mm depending on thickness of transmucuosal gingival tissue following soft tissue healing and gingival biotype .
2
Scan abutment (optional)
Allow increasing the height of Scan body for more ease and accessibility upon scanning , adapted to Ti base prior placing the Scan body .
Note: Prior to scanning, verify that the scan abutment is available in the library of the design software that will be used to design the abutment.
3
Scan Body
Is the digital transfere analogue , tightly fits on the Ti base , laser coded to be ready for scanning , represents implant position , orientation and relation with adajacent and opposing dentition . The Scan body is optically recorded and the acquired information then allow for customized abutment design on Ti base .
Digital impression steps
Digital implant library
Holds the digital files for all implant accessories on software design to include scan body , Ti base and implant analogue
1
Selection of the suitable Ti-base
Ti base is selected based on the suitable diameter, height, and gingival height depending on the clinical situation and the planned prosthetic supra structure , screwed to the implant fixture by cover screw .
2
Selection of the suitable scan body
Each implant system have variety of scan bodies it may vary from one line to another line with the same implant system . This is why it’s very important to select the scan body that would be compatible with the selected Ti-base . Fixed to the Ti base by cover screw .
3
Scan Body matching
Is the very first step in the designing process on the CAD software, during this `step, the scan body is selected from the implant library to be matched with the scan body on the scanned impression then software replaces the scan body with the Ti base in the designing process .
Now digital impression is ready to be taken such that ,
After proper fixation of the scan body the jaw is scanned with the scan body, followed with the antagonist arch , then scan body is un screwed to scan the bite . Finally, the jaw is scanned with implant fixture and made sure the gingival tissue is captured .