Conventional vs. Digital Workflows
Single Implant Abutments - Conventional Workflow
Initial Impression Appointment
1. Initial Impression Appointment
Pre-Operative - Creating a surgical stent
From Lab - Wax-up - Wax-up of the teeth in the area(s) of the proposed implant restoration.
From Lab - Surgical stent often made with a proposed access hole filled with gutta percha.
Surgery Appointment
Osteotomy using surgical stent for pilot hole
The stent is used as a surgical tool to give the surgeon a basic idea as to where the implant access hole should ideally be placed. Surgeon can take an x-ray to have a general idea as to the bone position relative to the guide hole due to the gutta percha radio opaque markers. Typically in a non-guided surgery the initial pilot hole uses the surgical stent, then the stent is discarded and the rest of the osteotomy is performed free-hand.
Placing of healing cap
The healing cap can be used to shape tissue creating the desired emergence and support papilla between the teeth and the implant restoration.
Implant level impression appointment
After healing and integration of the implant at the next step is an implant level impression. In most cases it is advisable to take an open tray impression.
Restoration / Abutment(s)
From Lab - Restoration(s)
Single Implant Abutments - Digital Workflow
Initial Impression Pre-Operative
Scanning Appliance
From Lab - Digital Wax-up
From Lab -Printing of CT Scanning appliance, with radio opaque teeth in the proposed implant position(s).
CT Scanning Appointment
Patient appointment for CBCT scan with scanning appliance.
Digital Surgery Planning
1. Merge CT scan (DICOM file - .dcm) with .stl of arch model
2. Plan surgery and design guide in planning software. Blue Sky Plan or Galileos Implant are two known software solutions that have the ability to export a .stl file for the completed guide, which is required to fabricate a surgical guide in an open system.
3. Export guide .stl file for fabrication, transmit .stl file to lab.
Guided Surgery Appliance
From Lab - Guided Surgery Appliance
Fully Guided Implant Surgery
Using Guided Surgery Appliance is used in conjunction with fully-guided surgical kit to perform the osteotomy and place the implant(s).
Healing Cap
The healing can be used to shape tissue creating the desired emergence and support papilla between the teeth and the implant restoration.
IOS Implant Scan Body Impression
Abutment and Implant Restorations
Using CAD/CAM design software the lab designs implant restorations, and mills the custom implant restorations. The restorations may include:
From Burbank Dental Lab: Implant Restorations
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