Below, we've outlined crown and bridge scanning best practice techniques that will increase the likelihood of success for your case:
Pre-scan checklist
- Verify your system has been recently calibrated for accuracy.
- Turn off all overhead dental and loupe lights, and close the blinds on nearby windows.
- Inspect the mirror head to verify the tip is clean and free from scratches or marks.
- Ensure that the computer is successfully linked to the scanner system. You'll know the connection is established when a green light is visible on the camera's base and the software indicates it is connected.
Begin your scan
- Kindly place cotton rolls in the vestibular region or use a cotton cheek pad, then thoroughly dry the edentulous tissue before scanning. Using cotton helps absorb saliva and aids in the retraction of soft tissues. It's essential to fully retract the cheeks, lips, and tongue, especially the posterior areas.
- Pack cord on any preparation site. If the preparation is sub-gingival, place a double-pack retraction cord.
- Start your scan by activating the scanner above the occlusal surface of a molar or premolar. Adhere to the occlusal, lingual, and buccal scanning routes. Not following the recommended scan paths could alter the image's quality due to how the AI measures the teeth.
- Hold your scanner close (nearly touching) to the teeth and soft tissue you are scanning, as the scanner is distance-sensitive.
- Move the scanner significantly slower over edentulous areas or soft tissue.
- Scan both full arches to completion.
- Please review the How to Perform Manual Alignment of Bite Scans article if you need alignment assistance.
Tips and tricks
- Should the camera face difficulty detecting the gold crown, we suggest using a CAD/CAM spray.
- In cases where the patient has bleeding tissue, apply a hemostatic agent and use compression to mitigate the presence of fluid in the prepared area prior to scanning.
- While scanning sub-gingival margins, please remember that the scanner's effectiveness depends on proximity. Therefore, it's essential to position the mirror tip as close as possible to the subgingival margin for precise capture.
- To gain additional occlusal space for the digital impression, guide the patient to shift their mandible, creating ample space to capture the difficult posterior area. This adjustment will facilitate the effective tilting of the digital capture device for thorough distal and buccal imaging.
- Use the "HD Scans" feature to review the digital impression in detail. This option also provides tools to trace the margin, study the preparation undercuts, verify the occlusal space, and check the scan in stone view.
- Please review our Crown and Bridge Prep Design Guides to determine if your preparation needs further reduction.
Recommended Scan Path Video