This article guides you through the essential steps to assess the quality of your crown and bridge scans. Focusing on key aspects like margin visibility, interproximal contacts, and accurate bite scans will generate high-quality scans for our design team and lab techs. This, in turn, decreases the risk of chairside adjustments and refabrication, ensuring more efficient and successful cases.
Margin Visibility
- Complete Visibility Required - Ensure the entire margin around the prepped tooth is visible in the scan.
- Obstruction-Free View - Check for the absence of blood, tissue, cord, or paste obstructing the view.
Using the Trim Tool
If obstructions are present, remove them from the scan using the trim tool. After trimming, adjust as necessary and rescan the area. Below is an example of the steps you would take using the trim tool for tissue over a margin.
- Tissue over the margin
- Trimming the area of concern
- Packing cord and rescanning
Interproximal Contacts
- Complete Scanning of Contacts - Verify there is no missing data and both mesial and distal contacts to the eventual crown are fully scanned.
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Smooth Contact Points - Ensure the mesial and distal contact points are smooth, without jagged or uneven appearances.
- If needed, smooth all jagged edges, trim the scan using the trim tool, and rescan before case submission.
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Techniques for Difficult Areas - Use the twist technique for capturing difficult interproximal and deep subgingival areas.
Accurate Bite Scans
- Capturing Centric Occlusion - Guide patients into a centric occlusion, ensuring accuracy on both the left and right sides.
- Timing of Bite Scans - It's recommended to capture bite scans before numbing the patient for optimal accuracy.
- Scanning Technique - Scan from posterior to cuspid, rotating the scanner to capture 2-3mm of tissue on both upper and lower arches.