OMS Looks to Planmeca for the Complete Digital Implant Workflow
With cutting-edge scanning technology and powerful Planmeca Romexis software, clinicians have all the tools needed to keep a digital implant workflow running at maximum efficiency
Today’s digital technology has revolutionized implant dentistry to allow for more efficient and predictable treatment plans with greater
convenience for the patient. Still, planning is only as smooth as your digital workflow. Many clinicians have learned the hard that way that when your in-house technology isn’t all on the same platform, exporting files and sharing information between systems or labs can be half the battle. Dr. Brett Shigley, an oral surgeon with a passion for using the best in dental technology to benefit his patients, was well aware of this hurdle when investing in systems for his new practice in Powdersville, SC, and that’s why he chose Planmeca. “I’ve used different systems,” he says, “and I’ve always been impressed by Planmeca. What’s great about them is that the system is open.”
The Technology
Planmeca offers a wide range of 3D technology solutions and a full suite of CAD/CAM equipment for an end-to-end digital workflow. Having used a Planmeca ProMax 3D Mid in both locations of his former practice, Dr. Shigley knew he wanted the same versatile imaging unit in his new practice. The system provides volume sizes for every clinical application, as well as low-dose imaging and Planmeca’s CALM algorithm for eliminating movement artifact. “I’ve had one since 2018,” he says. “It’s our workhorse, honestly. We use it all day.”
For intraoral scanning, he chose the Planmeca Emerald S, with its slim design for user ergonomics and patient comfort, and its premium speed that allows full-arch scanning in less than a minute. The Planmeca Emerald S also supports STL and PLY file formats for quick, hassle-free file import and export. “It’s really changed our practice,” Dr. Shigley notes. “It’s an exponential art, how quick [team members] can learn digital impressions.”
With an in-house 3D printer to consider as well, Dr. Shigley wanted to be sure that all his equipment could “talk” to each other on a centralized platform. Enter Planmeca Romexis. Its open-system database is capable of capturing, viewing, processing, storing, and importing and exporting 2D, 3D, and CAD/CAM data in industry-standard formats. And with a host of add-on modules, it grows as needed with the clinic. “It’s very intuitive,” Dr. Shigley says of the software. “I started out with just the implant module. Then I added on the guide module and started doing more guides in-house. It’s nice to be able to just go from one module to another in Planmeca.”
The Process
Recently, Dr. Shigley noticed a trend in his practice. “A lot of patients want a place where they can get everything done,” he says.
“That’s why implant centers around the country are getting more popular. I noticed I was losing patients to go to those kinds of places. So I started to retrain myself on restorative work.”
The result? A full-arts practice that can take patients from extraction to crown placement in as few as three visits. When a patient returns after bone grafting for a CBCT scan with the Planmeca ProMax 3D Mid to assess bone levels and prosthetic space, the staff also perform an intraoral scan with the Emerald S to ensure they have all the data needed for a provisional crown. This allows for the same-day creation of a surgical guide and, with Planmeca PlanCAD Easy, the provisional itself.
“With our level of efficiency, we can see more patients. Moreover, I feel like the safety is there. We can feel more confident in the surgeries we do knowing we have that technology, that accuracy.”
- Brett Shigley, DMD, MS
“We can do the implants as soon as the next day—even the same day,” says Dr. Shigley. “Usually, though, the patient comes back
two or three days later and we place the implants with the guide. We also can place the 3D-printed provisional, and the patient goes home with a screwed-in crown that allows us to manage the soft-tissue profile and gives that person a much more esthetic outcome as a temporary.”
“Right now, I’m looking into the ROI on a milling system so that will be in-house as well, and also within the Planmeca ecosystem. That’s exciting,” he adds.
The Business It’s not just his own patients who benefit from Dr. Shigley’s technology. Local orthodontists who don’t have a CBCT scanner also refer patients to him for assessment and fast, secure results. “What’s cool about Planmeca Romexis is you can have the cloud export and it emails a copy—basically, a HIPAA-compliant version and a compressed version—to the referral provider, and they can download the viewer to see it. That way you don’t have to worry about burning a disc and giving it over to them,” he explains.
Patients appreciate the imaging technology for a number of reasons. For one, the Planmeca Ultra Low Dose feature of the ProMax 3D Mid allows images to be captured at a lower dose than standard imaging without a statistical reduction in image quality. They are also impressed by the technology overall—and find its accuracy comforting when they are fearful of treatment. “When I show patients their 3D scan, it just clicks—you can see it on their face. They’re like, ‘Oh, wow. So now I know why I was referred to a specialist like you.’ And you can’t put a value on that because that sells itself all the time, every day.”
