Complex Scan and Design Made Easy
Inside Dental Technology delivers updates on digital workflows, materials, lab techniques, and innovation in dental technology through expert articles and videos.
October 1, 2017
Volume 8, Issue 10, October 2017
Page(s): p. 58
By Shane Williams
Our laboratory has utilized digital technology for approximately a decade, and we have used several scanning systems in that time. We were happy with our previous scanner, but when I sat down with representatives from Medit and Dental Arts Laboratories (DAL) at a Midwest Dental Laboratory Association meeting last year, I saw how advanced the software was and how easy full-arch cases could be. We purchased Medit’s Identica T500 scanner through DAL soon after that, and I have been using it to improve our production of full-arch, screw-retained cases ever since then.
It’s not that we couldn’t do certain things with our previous scanner; it’s just that Medit simplifies the process and makes it a lot easier. For example, my DAL representative showed me a copy wax program in which you can start with a denture wax try-in, set the teeth, send it to the dentist, get it back with everything verified, and with Medit and exocad software you can scan in the wax try-in and it morphs the design to fit that exact setup. You do not need to place the teeth again or create gingiva. The occlusion, shape, etc, are all the same as the wax try-in. The only thing necessary is a simple cutback on the gingiva to layer some composite on, and it is all ready after we mill it out of PMMA. The process takes only 20 minutes from scanning the wax try-in to completing the design; with our previous system, it took 2 hours.
Saving that time has been amazing for our business. We can produce full-arch restorations efficiently and accurately, with the same occlusion the dentist has verified in the patient’s mouth. The fits are better than anything I have seen before. Everything is perfect.
The Medit scanner is more affordable than comparable scanners because there are no annual fees and the scanning software updates are free.
The support has been exceptional as well. I took one of my employees to Peoria for training at DAL’s headquarters, and we learned CAD/CAM techniques that have proven very helpful in the laboratory.
I have had very few issues with the Identica T500, but when I do have a question, I just text my representative and she answers promptly. Many times, she sends me YouTube videos from exocad’s vast library of instructional pieces, and they are very helpful.
I have been scanning for 10 years, so I know what everything should look like and how it should work. If a laboratory owner whose business handled a lot of full-arch, screw-retained cases asked me what scanner I recommend, I’d tell them that acquiring a Medit Identica T500 is a no-brainer.
• With the Identica T500’s high-speed camera and projector, a full arch can be scanned in just 12 seconds and eight dies in 19 seconds.
• The scanner utilizes 2.0 MP cameras and blue LED technology.
• Accuracy is within 7 μm (ISO 12836).
Shane Williams
Co-Owner
Studio 32 Dental Laboratory
Cedar Rapids, IA
Manufacturer Information
Medit
meditcompany.com
identica@meditcompany.com
