What is a scan body in dental

In the vast world of oral medicine, every technological advancement signifies a significant improvement in patient treatment outcomes and a further enhancement in quality of life. In recent years, with the rapid development of digital technologies, the field of modern dentistry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. Among these innovations, dental implant technology, as an essential component of oral medicine, has become the treatment of choice for many patients with missing teeth, owing to its exceptional functional restoration and aesthetic results.

However, the success of dental implants depends not only on the skills of the dentist and the patient’s oral condition but also on the support of advanced tools and technologies.

The scan body, as a crucial element in the digital workflow, is gradually transforming the treatment approach and patient experience in dental implant procedures with its high precision and efficiency. This article will explore the important role of the scan body in the digital workflow and how it helps dentists achieve more accurate and efficient implant restorations.

What is a Scan Body?

A scan body is a specialized digital positioning device that utilizes high-precision scanning technology to accurately capture the three-dimensional structural information of a patient’s oral cavity. This scanning data provides a solid foundation for the subsequent design, manufacturing, and placement of the implant, ensuring a perfect fit between the implant and the patient’s mouth. Scan bodies typically have shapes and sizes that match the corresponding implant system, allowing them to provide precise positioning and guidance in the digital workflow.

In the digital workflow of dental implants, the scan body plays a crucial role. First, it serves as a bridge between the patient’s actual oral condition and the digital design. Through high-precision scanning data, the dentist can visually view the three-dimensional structure of the patient’s mouth, enabling the creation of a more personalized treatment plan. Second, the scan body provides accurate foundational data for digital manufacturing devices, making the implant production process more efficient and precise. Finally, during the implant placement procedure, the scan body can also act as a guiding tool to help the dentist accurately place the implant in the intended position, ensuring the success of the surgery and enhancing patient comfort.

Comparison with Traditional Methods and Digital Scanning

Compared to traditional methods (such as using impression materials), scan bodies offer significant advantages. Traditional impression methods require the patient to keep their mouth open for extended periods, which can cause discomfort. Additionally, the accuracy and stability of impression materials can be limited. On the other hand, the scan body utilizes digital technology to achieve a high-precision, efficient scanning process, significantly reducing patient discomfort while improving the accuracy and stability of the scanning data.

While both scan bodies and digital scanning technologies rely on digital technology, scan bodies are more specialized and precise in the field of dental implants. While digital scanning can capture the three-dimensional structure of the oral cavity, scan bodies are designed and manufactured to meet the specific needs of dental implant surgery. They provide the dentist with more detailed and accurate positioning information, ensuring higher success rates for the surgery and greater patient satisfaction.

How to use implant scan body?

1. Fixing the Scan Body:

Before capturing the digital impression, the dentist precisely fixes the scan body onto the implanted implant. This step is crucial as it provides a stable reference point for the subsequent scanning process.

2. Scanning:

Using an advanced digital oral scanner, the dentist conducts a comprehensive scan of the oral cavity. The light or laser emitted by the scanner is directed at the scan body and reflected back to the scanner, capturing detailed data of the implant and surrounding tissues.

3. Data Collection and Processing:

The data points collected during the scan are converted into a high-precision three-dimensional digital model. This model serves as an accurate reference for the subsequent implant design and manufacturing process.

Types of Scan Bodies

1. Basic Types of Scan Bodies

• Multi-Unit Scan Body:
  This type of scan body is designed to scan multiple implants simultaneously, making it ideal for situations where multiple missing teeth need to be restored.
  The multi-unit scan body ensures the accuracy of the position and angle of the implants relative to each other, which improves the overall restoration result.
• Custom Scan Body:
  Custom scan bodies are tailored to the patient’s specific oral condition and the type of implant being used.
  They offer higher precision and a better fit, ensuring the accuracy of the scanning data while meeting the needs of personalized treatment.

2. Scan Bodies Based on Implant Systems

Different implant systems (e.g., Straumann, Nobel Biocare, etc.) may require different types of scan bodies to ensure compatibility and accuracy. These scan bodies are typically designed to match specific implant brands and have the following characteristics:

• Brand-Specific:
  Some scan bodies are designed to work exclusively with certain implant brands to ensure optimal compatibility and fit.
• Design Differences:
  Implants from different brands may vary in design and size, and as a result, the corresponding scan bodies will also differ to accommodate these variations.

3. Factors Influencing the Choice of Scan Body

• Implant System Compatibility:
  Choosing a scan body that is compatible with the implant system is crucial for ensuring the accuracy of the scanning data and the successful installation of the subsequent restoration.
• Case Complexity:
  For complex cases, a more advanced and precise scan body may be required to meet the treatment needs.
  For example, cases involving multiple implants, complex angles, or requiring high precision may need custom scan bodies or multi-unit scan bodies.
• Patient’s Oral Condition:
  The patient’s oral condition is also an important factor in selecting a scan body.
  For patients with limited oral space or special implant placement conditions, smaller or more flexible scan bodies may be needed to fit the oral environment.
• Cost-Effectiveness:
  When considering the type of scan body, the cost-effectiveness should also be weighed.
  While advanced scan bodies may offer higher precision and better compatibility, they may also come at a higher cost. Therefore, the dentist needs to balance treatment efficacy with the patient’s financial capabilities.

The Role of Scan Bodies in Digital Implant Planning

In digital implant planning, scan bodies are essential. They have a beneficial effect on the overall success rate of dental implants and are strongly linked with CAD/CAM technology, which helps to design sophisticated treatment planning software. Scan bodies will have even more potential applications in the realm of oral medicine as digital technology develops.

1. The Connection Between Scan Bodies and CAD/CAM Technology
   Digital impressions, computer-aided design (CAD), and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) are the three components of CAD/CAM systems. These devices make it possible to operate entirely digitally throughout the dental implant process. In this procedure, scan bodies are essential. Scan bodies gather comprehensive three-dimensional structural data from the patient’s oral cavity using high-precision scanning technology, then transform this information into a digital model. After that, CAD software is used to import this digital model for planning and design. During the CAM phase, manufacturing equipment can precisely build implants and restorations that precisely fit the patient’s oral anatomy using the design produced by the CAD software. As a result, scan bodies facilitate the effective use of CAD/CAM technology in dental implants by acting as a link between the digital design and the patient’s real oral state.
2. Scan Bodies Facilitate Advanced Treatment Planning Software
   Scan bodies support the creation of sophisticated treatment planning software in addition to providing the fundamental data for CAD/CAM technology. These software applications may carry out accurate surgical simulations and planning by using the three-dimensional data that the scan body captures. On the computer, dentists may observe the implant’s location, depth, and angle as well as the surrounding tissue anatomy. The dentist may improve the precision and safety of the procedure by modifying and refining the design to develop the best possible treatment plan. These applications may also include features like post-operative result projections and surgical risk evaluations, giving the dentist complete decision assistance.
3. Effect on Total Achievement Rates for Implants
   The overall success percentage of dental implants is positively impacted by the use of scan bodies in digital implant design. First, the dentist can guarantee that the location and angle of the implant completely match the patient’s oral anatomy by using high-precision scanning and computerised design. This lowers the danger of surgery and the likelihood of problems. Second, using a digital workflow improves the accuracy and efficiency of restoration manufacture, which raises the restorations’ quality and longevity. Last but not least, sophisticated treatment planning software offers more thorough decision assistance, assisting the dentist in creating the best possible treatment plan and raising the possibility of a successful surgery.

Comparison Between Traditional Impressions and Digital Scanning with Scan Bodies

1. Precision and Accuracy

• Traditional Impressions:
  Traditional impression methods involve using materials like silicone rubber or alginate to create a mold of the patient’s oral cavity, followed by pouring plaster to obtain a replica. This process can be affected by factors such as material deformation, errors during transportation, or incorrect handling, resulting in limited precision and potential inaccuracies.
• Digital Scanning with Scan Bodies:
  Digital scanning with scan bodies captures the patient’s oral three-dimensional structure in real-time, eliminating the risk of material deformation and transportation errors associated with traditional impressions. This method offers significantly higher precision and accuracy, as it creates a highly detailed digital model of the oral cavity.

2. Patient Comfort

• Traditional Impressions:
  Traditional methods require the patient to keep their mouth open for an extended period while the impression material is placed. This process can cause discomfort due to the pressure from the impression material and the extended time spent in an unnatural mouth position.
• Digital Scanning with Scan Bodies:
  Digital scanning typically uses an intraoral scanner with a small, flexible probe that can easily navigate around the mouth. This results in less discomfort for the patient, as the scanning process is faster and less invasive than traditional impressions.

3. Efficiency and Convenience

• Traditional Impressions:
  Traditional impression techniques require manual handling, including mixing materials, positioning trays, and waiting for the impression to set. This process can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.
• Digital Scanning with Scan Bodies:
  Digital scanning allows for the real-time capture of data and the instant generation of a digital model, dramatically reducing the time spent on the impression-taking process. This increases workflow efficiency and eliminates the need for time-consuming manual steps.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Digital Impressions

Advantages:

1. Efficiency:
   Digital impressions can capture data in real time, reducing the time patients spend in the dental chair and speeding up the overall treatment process.
2. Precision:
   By avoiding issues related to material deformation and transport errors, digital impressions offer a higher level of precision, ensuring the restoration fits better and reducing the risk of errors.
3. Convenience:
   Digital impressions directly generate a digital model, skipping the need for physical models and eliminating the mess of impression materials, making the process cleaner and more convenient.
4. Environmental Impact:
   Since digital impressions do not require chemical materials like traditional impression materials, they help reduce environmental pollution, making them a more eco-friendly option.

Disadvantages:

1. High Initial Costs:
   The equipment required for digital impressions, including intraoral scanners and software, comes at a higher initial cost compared to traditional methods, which can be a barrier for some dental practices.
2. High Technical Requirements:
   Digital impressions require skilled operators who are trained to use and maintain the technology. The learning curve and need for technical expertise may be challenging for some dental professionals.
3. Patient Adaptability:
   Some patients may find it difficult to tolerate the intraoral scanner, especially if they have sensitive gag reflexes or feel uncomfortable with the digital scanning process. This could lead to difficulties in capturing accurate data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the cost of a scan body?
   A scan body’s price varies according to its model, brand, capability, and market placement. Because they may employ cutting-edge materials and technologies that provide greater accuracy and compatibility, high-quality scan bodies are often more costly. Nevertheless, the precise cost must be assessed in light of certain conditions, such as the buying channel and large orders, which may have an effect on the ultimate cost. Consequently, it is difficult to set a consistent cost for scan bodies.
   
2. Can scan bodies be reused?
   In order to guarantee the precision and hygienic nature of every scan, scan bodies are usually made to be used just once. During dental implant treatments, scan bodies must be sterile and clean since they come into close touch with the patient’s oral tissues. Reusing scan bodies may raise the possibility of cross-contamination and reduce scan accuracy. Reusing scan bodies is thus not advised.
   
3. How does the accuracy of scan bodies compare to traditional methods?
   The precision of digital scanning using scan bodies is better than that of conventional imprint techniques. Limited accuracy may result from material deformation or shipping issues affecting traditional imprint processes. Digital scanning, on the other hand, avoids these possible mistakes via real-time capturing of the patient’s oral three-dimensional structure. To further increase accuracy, digital scanning also makes use of sophisticated software and algorithms for data processing and optimisation.
   
4. Are scan bodies compatible with all implant systems?
   The design and manufacturing criteria of scan bodies determine their compatibility. Not all scan bodies will precisely match every implant system, even though the majority are designed to work with a variety of implant systems. Consequently, it is crucial to confirm that the scan body chosen is compatible with the implant system in use. To get precise compatibility information, it is often necessary to speak with the manufacturer or a qualified dentist prior to making a purchase.
   
5. How do I choose a scan body?
   A number of criteria should be taken into account while selecting a scan body:

• Verify that the scan body and the implant system being utilised are compatible.
• Accuracy: To guarantee accurate scanning results, choose a scan body with extreme care.
• Material: Take into account whether the scan body’s material is biocompatible and appropriate for the patient’s oral environment.
• Cost: Consider the scan body’s cost-effectiveness while maintaining compatibility and quality.
• Brand Reputation: To guarantee product quality and after-sales support, choose reputable manufacturers and well-known brands.
  

6. What is the purpose of a scan body?
   During a dental implant operation, a scan body’s main function is to record the patient’s mouth cavity’s three-dimensional structure. For the sake of future surgical planning and restorative design, this knowledge is essential. The doctor may use digital scanning to get real-time, comprehensive information on the patient’s dental health, which helps with accurate surgery planning and simulations. Additionally, the scan body aids the physician in determining the patient’s dental health and creating a customised treatment plan, increasing procedure precision and safety.

Conclusion

It is evident that scan bodies have grown to be an essential component of digital implant planning when considering their significance in contemporary implant dentistry. They greatly increase clinical efficiency and patient experience in addition to increasing procedure safety and accuracy. Real-time three-dimensional data of the patient’s mouth cavity is captured by scan bodies, giving the physician access to previously unheard-of levels of detail that improve the precision and individualisation of surgical planning and restoration design.

The last lesson for dentists on why they should include scan bodies into their offices is that digitalisation has become an unstoppable trend in dentistry because to the ongoing development of technology and the rising needs of patients. It is indisputable that scan bodies are an essential component of digital implant planning. Dental practitioners may distinguish out in a market that is becoming more and more competitive by using scan bodies, which not only enhance surgical quality but also foster patient pleasure and confidence.

Additionally, using scan bodies shortens treatment cycles, decreases total treatment costs, and helps lessen the frequency of surgical risks and problems. Therefore, incorporating scan bodies into their business is definitely a smart move for dental professionals looking to achieve excellent quality, efficiency, and patient happiness. In addition to being a sign of accountability to patients, this is a significant step in furthering the continuous advancement of dentistry.