Dr. JB White was “blown away” when he saw the Aoralscan Elite at the American Academy of Implant Dentistry meeting a few years ago. He knew Shining 3D was on to something big with this innovation, and he had to have it in his practice.
The device combines intraoral scanning and intraoral photogrammetry (IPG) into 1 unit, capturing scans for traditional restorative dentistry while also accurately recording dental implant position for more complex cases. By simplifying both tasks, it saves time and leads to more predictable outcomes.
The Elite is fast, accurate, and great with soft tissue, Dr. White said. Unlike scan bodies, the software allows him to choose the exact prosthetic components he wants. Using scan flags, he can quickly check implant position without patients even knowing.
“It takes one of the hardest aspects of the procedure, which is trying to capture the accuracy of newly placed implants, and turns it into an afterthought,” he said. “The first few times I used it I said, ‘No way—it can’t be that easy.’”
Not long after he purchased the Elite, Dr. White was in the market for a 3D printer. He already had a few, and while they worked well with other materials, misprints were a problem with the zirconia-infused resins he uses for full-arch implant-supported prostheses, slowing production. He was happy with the Elite and the top-notch support he’d received from Shining 3D, so he added the AccuFab-F1. And just like that, his misprint problem disappeared.
“With the F1, I can print a full arch in less than 20 minutes and it’s accurate,” Dr. White said. “It’s reliable, and it’s all because of heating the resin. It’s the only printer I know that does that.”
A More Streamlined Workflow
With the Aoralscan Elite, Dr. White no longer has to prefabricate dentures or complete denture conversions that add several hours per arch—a “nightmare” for same-day cases.
“With traditional scan bodies, we were always concerned if we had more than 4 implants in an arch,” he said. “Now, we routinely have 8 with the scan flags and we get a perfectly fitting prosthetic.”
The digital workflow the Elite and F1 provide allows Dr. White to work out occlusion and fine-tune esthetics in advance. Modifications are easy and turnaround times are cut in half. Patients can even test-run different prostheses without a huge cost to the practice, ensuring they’re happy with the final result.
The technologies also have sent case acceptance for complex implant cases “through the roof.”
“Patients love when their dentist invests in technologies that make the process more convenient for them,” Dr. White said. “That makes them more likely to say ‘yes’ to treatment.”
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