Digital Implant Workflow:

Adopting a digital workflow can help dental implant providers increase efficiency.

Computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology has proven to be extremely useful in a variety of fields of dentistry. MS Dental Lab Chandigarh has had great success with this CAM/CAD technology. While the ability to design and manufacture products using CAD/CAM is certainly advantageous, these processes are especially well suited for dental implantology. The ability to design and manufacture a restorative solution on-site reduces turnaround time and improves clinical workflow for both the clinician and the patient.

When a digital workflow is used, accuracy and reliability are also improved. The margin for error is reduced when compared to other modalities, and the final product can be easily and identically replicated or modified through design software to meet the patient’s individual needs. Digital dentistry aids in the placement of implants and promotes successful outcomes.

Extensive research has been conducted in dental applications to confirm that CAD/CAM methodologies are clinically acceptable. MS Dental Arts is a leader in the north India region for CAM/CAD technology and making digital implant workflow simple. The results of this one-year follow-up examination revealed that all crowns were rated clinically acceptable, with no fractures or loss of retention observed. After 17 years, the results have been amazing, with many satisfied dentists using our CAD/CAM-created restorations. The findings of these studies confirm positive clinical outcomes, and restoration longevity is one of the additional benefits provided by MS Dental Arts.

WORKFLOW OF DIGITAL IMPLANTATION

CAD/CAM technology is frequently used as a foundational component of an integrated digital workflow for dental implant placement and restoration in today’s practise. An intraoral scanning system, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), implant planning software, and CAD/CAM design and milling software and hardware are all part of this technology. It is important to note that this is not an all-or-nothing proposition, as a dental office that lacks in-house designing, milling, or three-dimensional (3D) printing capability can still use a digital workflow by collaborating with a dental laboratory. Offices that fully embrace digital dentistry, on the other hand, can typically handle all aspects of implant treatment planning, fabrication, and delivery on-site. This paper, for example, will present the workflow used in the authors’ practice.

The first step in an implant CAD/CAM workflow is to take optical impressions to create a digital scan of the patient’s case. This will include intraoral scans of both hard and soft tissues, as well as the patient’s edentulous site. As part of the digital wax-up, software is used to design a virtual tooth to fit within the patient’s edentulous site. The design is then imported into software to be integrated with the CBCT data. The patient’s CBCT scan can be acquired and used in conjunction with the digital wax-up thanks to integrated imaging software. After incorporating the wax-up into the CBCT scan, treatment-planning software allows the clinician to virtually plan 3D implant placement.

Aside from its utility in implant placement planning, the software can also display a cross-sectional image of the restoration on the patient’s scan as well as a volumetric analysis of the implant planning to the clinician. Following the establishment of a comprehensive implant plan, a surgical template can be digitally designed and manufactured using milling or 3D printing technology. The digital model can be trimmed, parameters for the surgical template’s specific fit and thickness can be set, and the preferred material can be selected — all from within the software. When using milling technology, software can even show the surgical guide’s position within the material disc prior to milling.

Prior to fabrication, providers can also use digital sleeve and design tools to further refine the guide. Following the completion of all planning, the milling machine will produce a highly customized guide that was designed using the patient-specific digital workflow.

Conclusion

Given that digital dentistry using CAD/CAM treatment planning and delivery of implants and restorations produces positive results, including a high level of accuracy and durability, it is quickly becoming the preferred method of production over traditional methods. The ease, speed, and efficiency of designing and fabricating a solution that can be quickly and easily modified or replicated on-site are just a few of the benefits of using CAD/CAM dentistry. With the field poised for further advancements, an integrated digital workflow has established itself as a viable – even preferred – clinical modality in modern implantology.