Selecting the Right Intraoral Scanner to Transform Your Practice.

In recent years digital technology has transformed the practice of modern dentistry, with intraoral scanners (IOSs) being among the most significant materializations of this digital boom. IOSs eliminate the need for traditional impression materials and allow for the immediate digital capture of a 3-dimentional (3D) object being scanned.4 When assessing the "most ideal" IOS for a dental practice, key considerations include the types of procedures being performed, practice demands, and patient demographics. Only after an initial practice assessment has been made can advantages and disadvantages of various IOSs be compared against practice needs.

Understanding the complexities of digital dentistry integration in high-volume dental institutions.

The purpose of this article is to detail the primary challenges faced by large dental institutions as they incorporate digital dentistry into their mainstream workflow. Integration of digital technology is easier in private practices with smaller patient volumes and fewer trained staff required. Additionally, in private practices, scanning, designing and milling frequently occur in a single location, which does not require an external digital data transfer. However, large dental institutions must overcome several barriers which are uniquely generated by their large-scale operation. Numerous individuals must be comprehensively and efficiently trained to operate the advanced technologies. The digital software must seamlessly integrate with existing software and an internal infrastructure must be established capable of handling massive data inputs. High-volume production in large dental institutions requires the involvement of external laboratories to meet demand. This outsourcing presents a new challenge of safe digital data transfer in accordance with patient privacy and protection regulations set forth by governing agencies. It is vital for large dental institutions to recognise the unique challenges thrust upon them as they attempt to incorporate a digital workflow. With proper forethought and planning an appropriate infrastructure may be established allowing for a smooth and safe transition to the digital era.

Guest Commentary: The Battle of File Formats from Intraoral Optical Scanners.

No abstract available.

Advantages and limitations of implant surgery with CAD/CAM surgical guides: A literature review.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to review the available literature associated with implant surgery using computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) surgical guides and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this advanced technique. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An electronic literature search was conducted in the PubMed database for the relevant information on implant placement with CAD/CAM surgical guides. This review was constructed following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Articles were limited to those published within the past 10 years and in the English language. Only clinical studies were included. Inclusion criteria were: studies including 10 implants or more and studies presenting angular deviations in degrees and linear deviations in millimeter. Observational studies, reviews, animal studies, in vitro studies, case reports, simulation studies were excluded. Nine articles were included for qualitative synthesis. RESULTS: The initial search detected 61 articles, and after screening abstracts, a total of 15 articles were selected for full-text review. After the full-text analysis of the 15 articles, six articles were excluded as they did not meet inclusion criteria for study design, study population, and implant placement with data presentation for angular and linear deviations. Ultimately, nine articles providing angular and linear deviations between planned and actual placed implants were used in this review. Common problems that may be encountered by clinicians were listed, and recommendations were made on how to avoid those problems. CONCLUSIONS: It has been suggested that although unrealistic expectations are often associated with implant placement with CAD/CAM surgical guides, there is no impeccable accuracy in the clinic. This review demonstrated that the practitioners should be aware of the angular and linear deviations up to 5 ° and 2.3 mm. Therefore, inexperienced dentists should obtain adequate training and be familiar with the basic steps with CAD/CAM surgical guides to avoid complications. Key words:CAD/CAM, CBCT, implant, stereolithography, surgical guide.

Challenges of Integrating Intraoral Optical Scanners Into High-Volume Dental Facilities

Digital dentistry has revolutionized restorative and surgical dental procedures, offering tremendous advantages in clinical efficiency and accuracy. Intraoral optical scanners (IOSs) are just one wayin which this technology has taken form. However, concerns over cross-contamination, calibration requirements, and digital data transfer need to be considered before IOS integration into high-volume dental institutions becomes mainstream.

Challenges to Digital Dentistry in Dental Schools.

With the new era of rapidly expanding technology, digital dentistry promises many opportunities such as grading standardization, access to student self-assessment, less material waste, a more hygienic clinical protocol, and the potential for greater accuracy and predictability in clinical outcomes.1-3 Despite these tremendous advantages, some challenges such as cost, training, and infrastructure still remain, which prevent digital dentistry from becoming the new standard in dental institutions.2,4 Keywords: Curriculum, Digital dentistry, Infrastructure, Intraoral scanner, Student.