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Implant scanning workflows: The implant pentagon
1Affiliate Assistant Professor, Graduate Prosthodontics, Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; Faculty and Director of Research and Digital Dentistry, Kois Center, Seattle, WA; and Adjunct Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA.
This study introduces the implant pentagon, a new model for standardizing digital implant scanning workflows. It visually represents the five essential scan elements and the chosen reference landmark for accurate dental prosthesis design.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Digital Dentistry
- Prosthodontics
Background:
- Implant scanning workflows are crucial for digital dental prosthesis design and fabrication.
- These workflows consist of five key scan elements and various reference landmarks for scan alignment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and define the "implant pentagon" concept for standardizing implant scanning workflows.
- To provide a visual representation of the components within an implant scanning workflow.
Main Methods:
- The study defines the five essential elements of an implant scanning workflow: tooth, tissue, and implant positions; antagonist scan; and maxillomandibular relationship.
- It identifies seven types of reference landmarks used for scan registration, including anatomical structures and implant scan bodies.
- The concept of a "predominant landmark" for registering tooth and tissue scans is established.
Main Results:
- The implant pentagon model visually represents the five elements of an implant scanning workflow at its corners.
- The implant scanning technique is depicted at the top, with the predominant landmark at the center of the pentagon.
- This model can represent all possible implant scanning workflows.
Conclusions:
- The implant pentagon offers a standardized method for understanding and communicating implant scanning workflows.
- This visual tool aids in the consistent design and fabrication of implant prostheses using digital technologies.
