A Paradigm Shift Using Scan Bodies to Record the Position of a Complete Arch of Implants in a Digital Workflow
Abstract: The use of conventional scan bodies (SBs) with an intraoral scanner (IOS) to capture the position of a complete arch of dental implants has proven to be challenging. The literature is unclear about the accuracy of intraoral scanning techniques using SBs that are connected vertically to multiunit abutments (MUAs) for numerous adjacent implants in the same arch. Recently, there has been a paradigm shift from vertical SBs to horizontal SBs, which are positioned perpendicular to the long axis of the MUAs. Most IOSs available today can capture these horizontal SBs, called scan gauges (SGs), with better accuracy and consequently acquire the position of multiple adjacent implants using an effective scan path, thus reducing stitching and the number of images. The key to implementing this novel technology is to strategically arrange the SGs to optimize horizontal overlap of multiple adjacent SGs without touching each other. By superimposing two high-resolution intraoral scans of the SGs, an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm is employed to produce a calibrated digital best-fit model on which a passive complete-arch prosthesis can be designed and fabricated. The advantages and disadvantages of SBs and SGs are discussed, and a case report using a digital workflow is presented.
Dr. Graziano D. Giglio
Dr. Graziano D. Giglio is a board-certified prosthodontist focusing on aesthetics and implant dentistry to enhance the quality of life for his patients. He received his D.D.S. and postgraduate training in prosthodontics from New York University College of Dentistry.
He is a Fellow of the American College of Prosthodontists, the American College of Dentists, the Greater New York Academy of Dentistry, the Northeastern Gnathological Society, and the New York Academy of Dentistry. Dr. Giglio is an active member of the Academy of Osseointegration and of dentistry’s national honor society, Omicron Kappa Upsilon. His clinical expertise and leadership qualities are recognized by colleagues, as he serves on several boards and committees of many dental groups, including a term as President of the Greater New York Academy of Prosthodontics in 2013.
Dr. Giglio keeps current with the very latest in research and technology through his faculty position at New York University College of Dentistry where he is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor. He has found numerous opportunities to share his experience with the dental community as he publishes and lectures frequently on dental implants, aesthetics, and digital technology. As a result, he has received multiple awards in dentistry throughout his career, including the Prosthodontist Private Practice Award from the American College of Prosthodontists in 2013. He shares a multidisciplinary practice in New York City with his wife, Dr. Ana Giglio, a periodontist.
Dr. Ana Becil Giglio
Dr. Ana Becil Giglio is board-certified in periodontology and dental implant surgery and has concentrated her career on providing high-quality care to her patients while prioritizing their well-being. She received her D.D.S. Â and her postgraduate certificate in periodontics from New York University College of Dentistry.
Dr. Giglio is a member of multiple dental organizations, allowing her to foster and share her clinical knowledge with colleagues. She has served on the boards and committees of several dental organizations, both locally and nationally. She is currently Vice President for the American Academy of Periodontology and is past president of the Northeastern Society of Periodontists. Â
Since 1992, she has maintained a faculty position at New York University College of Dentistry as an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor in the Advanced Education Program in Periodontics and Implant Dentistry. As an educator and clinician, Dr. Giglio prides herself on staying current with the newest technologies so that her patients can benefit from the latest scientifically based innovations.
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