Product Evaluation

CARESTREAM DENTAL

Scan-Mate Evaluation

An isolation and retraction instrument for comfortable, controlled retraction during intraoral scanning procedures

To capture a quick, easy, high-quality intraoral scan, it’s important for clinicians to effective­ly retract a patient’s tongue and cheek. But keeping the tongue and cheek out of the way during a scan is easier said than done, especially when a clinician is working alone. Typical retraction aids like mirrors and fingers are often uncomfortable for the patient and inconvenient for the clinician, and a mirror’s reflective surface can distract dental profes­sionals from the task at hand.

What if an ergonomic instrument with a soft, bendable tip could take the place of that mirror or finger and provide gentle retraction while reducing scanning time? Armor Dental designed Scan-Mate for this exact purpose. A unique retraction instrument with an adjustable tip and anti-reflective properties, Scan-Mate, which is now part of Carestream Dental’s product portfolio, facilitates retraction during intra­oral scanning or surgical procedures.

“This instrument has been a great addition for retraction during intraoral scanning as well as gentle retraction of tissue during surgical procedures,” said Dr. Robert Pauley Jr., who uses Scan-Mate for nearly every scanning procedure in his practice. “Scan-Mate enables more accurate and improved scanning, with increased speed,” Dr. Isaac Tawil explained. With proper retraction, a dental professional has a greater chance of getting the scan right the first time, which leads to enhanced patient care and improved effi­ciency for the entire dental practice.

Design and Ergonomics

Designed to efficiently retract and comfortably glide anywhere in the mouth, Scan-Mate features a bendable neck with a soft, pliable non-reflective tip. The ergonomic handle design is comfortable for clinicians, and no fingers, mirrors, or other isolation products are needed to help with retraction. The one-piece design is autoclavable for up to 60 cycles.

“Scan-Mate provides easy retraction due to its ad­justable tip and non-reflective properties,” noted Dr. Tawil, who said it improves comfort during retraction for the doctor and patient. “It has nice ergonomics and is easy to bend if needed,” described Dr. Pauley. “The soft edges permit gentle retraction of soft tissues.” When asked what he likes best about Scan-Mate, Dr. Alan Erickson said, “It’s soft and does not re­flect,” but he suggested that a larger instrument may improve tongue retraction. “I like how it can be bent and retract, but I would like it to be a little wider,” shared Dr. Christian Willard. Another dentist called it a lightweight and comfortable retractor and said the non-reflective surface was his favorite feature.

Patient Comfort

With a soft, flexible tip, latex-free materials, and no need for a hard-sided mirror to aid in retraction, Scan-Mate provides a comfortable patient experience. And because the instrument speeds up the scanning process, time is saved for both the clinician and patient. “It helps to retract tissue for scanning and is comfortable to the patient,” shared Dr. Willard, and Dr. Glen Bruenjes agreed that “it provides convenient and comfortable retraction.”

Avichai Stern, DDS, who “appreciates that Carestream Dental is forward thinking and attempting to address the issue of soft impingement during intraoral scanning,” said Scan-Mate aids in soft-tissue retraction during scans but suggested that patient comfort could be improved with smooth­er rounded edges. “I was happy to find a non-reflective retraction device that was comfortable for patients,” noted Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz.

Retraction Ability and Scan Quality

Ideal for retraction during all intraoral scanning procedures—including crowns, bridges, implants, and orthodontics—Scan-Mate allows clinicians to quickly and clearly visualize the area to be scanned. According to Carestream Dental, better retraction helps in obtaining accurate, crisp, clean images for error-free scans the first time.

“The non-reflective property enables more accurate and improved scanning,” said Dr. Tawil, and Dr. Pauley called it “a very good piece of armamentarium to retract intraoral tissues.” Dr. Stern said it aids in managing the cheek, lip, and tongue during scans. “Scan-Mate provides excellent retraction and doesn’t interfere with the scan,” noted Dr. Maragliano-Muniz. Calling it “better than a mouth mirror for retraction,” Dr. Bruenjes described Scan-Mate as “an elegant solution for retraction during full arch scans, particularly with one operator.”

Scan-Mate can also be used for retrac­tion during other dental procedures or ex­ams. Dr. Tawil was pleasantly surprised that the instrument assists him in retracting soft tissue during surgery in addition to scans.

"A great instrument for retraction during intraoral scanning as well as gentle retraction of tissue during surgical procedures."
-Robert Pauley Jr., DMD
Union City, GA

Overall Satisfaction

Suggesting that Scan-Mate improves his overall practice efficiency, Dr. Lawrence Marks declared, “The speed of acquiring images is much improved and the new workflow allows the user to navigate much easier.” Dr. Tawil concluded, “Scan-Mate is a great product and service.”

Takeaways

• Instrument provides comfortable, controlled retraction during intraoral scanning and other dental procedures
• Allows clinicians to quickly and clearly visualize the area to be scanned
• A bendable neck and soft, flexible tip improve patient comfort
• Ergonomic handle design and non-reflective tip ensure comfort for clinicians
• One-piece design is autoclavable for up to 60 cycles