With a good understanding of the intricacies of a digital implant workflow, a clinician can seamlessly get great results with a wide range of restorative options. There are some pitfalls that can lead to complications in the workflow and at worst, involve costly remakes or rescans. In this article, we describe our five top tips on how to have a successful outcome every time.
1) Speak with your lab Technician.
This is the person who is going to make the restoration to your prescription for your patient. Take advantage of their advice and guidance. This will be based on their first-hand experience of what works and just as importantly, what doesn’t work.
2) Understand the digital implant components.
At ESM, we deliver Elos Medtech’s range of digital implant components, including Scan Bodies, Hybrid Bases, Printed Model Analogs and CAD Libraries. The scan body must deliver accuracy during scanning which is carried through the design and production process. The CAD Library must deliver access for your technician to the restorative design options that are required to fulfil your prescription.
3) Always provide two scans.
To get the best restorative result, the clinician must provide two scans. The first scan is the anatomical scan and includes the soft tissue profile, the emergence (ideally captured as soon as the healing abutment is removed), and the proximal surfaces. The second scan must include the scan body in situ and must capture as much of the scan body as possible. 3Shape TRIOS has a very clever workflow to make this a very efficient chairside process. The second scan is a copy of the first scan with the clinician being required to simply rescan the implant location with the scan body present.
First scan records all anatomical detail
Second scan records scan flag
4) Do not mix and match.
Only use restorative options and associated components from the same manufacturer as the scan body, along with the CAD library provided by that manufacturer. Deviation from this is only recommended if there is a validated collaboration in place with the manufacture of the other components. If this is not in place, you run the risk of costly errors and misfitting work.
5) Do not be afraid of 3rd party components.
There are many 3rd party implant component offerings available, including those offered by Elos Medtech that provide the accuracy and options required for a successful restoration of your choosing. Be advised that in some situations Scan Bodies provided directly from the implant manufacturer will be restricted to restorative workflows using only their components or services. As well as being able to offer freedom of restorative choice, at ESM we are able to offer a level of guarantee equal to the implant manufacturer guarantee when using Elos Medtech components.
You also have the opportunity to learn more about the digital implant workflow by watching our webinar on this topic.
Want to learn more about Elos Medtech components and ESM Digital Solutions? Then please visit our website at
or email us at
sales@esmdigitalsolutions.com
