• Home
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our Laboratory
    • Our Management Team
    • Our Clinic
    • Case Studies
    • Newsletter
    • Policies >
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Warranty & Remake
      • Cross Infection Control
      • Complaints Handling
      • COVID19
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
    • Press
    • Working Times & Deliveries
    • Postage Portal
  • Our Services
    • Pay online
    • Price List
    • Bremadent Clinic
    • Digital >
      • Digital Dentures
      • Dental 3D Printed Models Shop
      • CAD-CAM
      • Dental 3D Printing
      • Digital Study Models
      • Digital Crown & Bridge
      • Digital Implantology
      • Digital Prosthetics
    • Crown & Bridge >
      • All ceramic >
        • Veneers
        • IPS e.max
        • Layered Zirconia Crowns (Cercon)
        • Full Contour Zirconia Crowns
        • Composite
      • Complex / Combination
      • Porcelain Bonded
      • Full Metal Crowns
      • Smile Make Overs & Diagnostic Wax Ups
      • Shade Matching
      • Executive Service
    • Implantology >
      • All on X immediate Implant Loading
      • Implant Crown & Bridge
      • Implant Prosthetics
      • Implant Milled Bars
      • Tempaplant 3 in 1
    • Prosthetics (Dentures) >
      • Digital Dentures
      • Swissedent Cosmetic Dentures
      • Valplast Flexible Dentures
      • Cobalt Chrome (CoCr)
      • Hybrid Chromes
      • Acetal frameworks / tooth coloured clasps
      • Characterised / Special effects
      • Denture Repairs
      • Fiber Force
    • Pressure Formed >
      • Anti - Snoring Devices
      • Gum Shields
      • Night / Mouth Guards
      • Whitening Trays
    • Orthodontics >
      • Kois Deprogrammer
      • Essix Retainers
      • Michigan / Tanner Splints
      • Zirconia Retainers
    • Clinical Guides
    • Downloads
  • App
  • News
  • Employment
  • Contact Us
Bremadent Dental Laboratory - London UK
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our Laboratory
    • Our Management Team
    • Our Clinic
    • Case Studies
    • Newsletter
    • Policies >
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Warranty & Remake
      • Cross Infection Control
      • Complaints Handling
      • COVID19
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
    • Press
    • Working Times & Deliveries
    • Postage Portal
  • Our Services
    • Pay online
    • Price List
    • Bremadent Clinic
    • Digital >
      • Digital Dentures
      • Dental 3D Printed Models Shop
      • CAD-CAM
      • Dental 3D Printing
      • Digital Study Models
      • Digital Crown & Bridge
      • Digital Implantology
      • Digital Prosthetics
    • Crown & Bridge >
      • All ceramic >
        • Veneers
        • IPS e.max
        • Layered Zirconia Crowns (Cercon)
        • Full Contour Zirconia Crowns
        • Composite
      • Complex / Combination
      • Porcelain Bonded
      • Full Metal Crowns
      • Smile Make Overs & Diagnostic Wax Ups
      • Shade Matching
      • Executive Service
    • Implantology >
      • All on X immediate Implant Loading
      • Implant Crown & Bridge
      • Implant Prosthetics
      • Implant Milled Bars
      • Tempaplant 3 in 1
    • Prosthetics (Dentures) >
      • Digital Dentures
      • Swissedent Cosmetic Dentures
      • Valplast Flexible Dentures
      • Cobalt Chrome (CoCr)
      • Hybrid Chromes
      • Acetal frameworks / tooth coloured clasps
      • Characterised / Special effects
      • Denture Repairs
      • Fiber Force
    • Pressure Formed >
      • Anti - Snoring Devices
      • Gum Shields
      • Night / Mouth Guards
      • Whitening Trays
    • Orthodontics >
      • Kois Deprogrammer
      • Essix Retainers
      • Michigan / Tanner Splints
      • Zirconia Retainers
    • Clinical Guides
    • Downloads
  • App
  • News
  • Employment
  • Contact Us

The truth about I/O (Intra oral) scanners!

1/2/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Intra oral scanners are powerful tools in Dentistry for diagnoses, planning, patient record keeping, demonstrating and educating patients with precise zoomed visualizations of their own teeth in a virtual environment with predicted outcomes. They also provide quick, accurate digital impressions for restorations that eliminates many variables that occur in traditional dentistry with impressions . The one thing that amazes me is that no one speaks about the limitations!

It’s the simple things!
In the days of analogue Dentistry, something is wrong! the issue is resolved between Dentist and the Dental Lab. In the digital age, something goes wrong! The issue is taken up with the company who sold the scanner, I/O scanner company support team, their software/ engineer team, internal IT department, system administrators, email provider, internet provider and that is before the issue is raised to the laboratory who go through the same checks! This is all done without one word about actual Dentistry of the case.

A costly lesson!
Buy a scanner! It’ll save you time and money! Yes this is true! Did you know certain types of restorations require 3D printed models which can vary in cost from £30 per arch. For example a simple mouth guard that usually costs £25 is now turned into £55 as the laboratory requires a 3D printed to pressure form the mouth guard which cannot be done without a physical model.
Casting a traditional model can range between 1 hour to 24 hours, whereas 3D printed models can take between 8 hours to 2 – 3 working days if outsourced and the cost of the resin material is higher than the cost of casting a traditional model.

What can be manufactured with out 3D printed models?
For example, full contour zirconia restorations, some e.max inlays/onlays, temporary acrylic crowns can be milled without the requirements of 3D printed models.

How is that possible?
They are manufactured in a computerised environment without human physically touching the restoration and only the I/O scan and design parameters of the restoration are controlled by humans.
After being digitally designed, they are milled CAD/CAM out of a block and sintered in furnaces at a controlled temperature. After sintering they’re stained and glazed with minimal hands on human touch interference.

What about other products that need 3D printed models?
Basically, anything that requires physical models for hands on manufacturing e.g Layered to zirconia crowns require a technician to physically hand layer ceramic onto the substructure that require a physical model to work within the parameters (margins, contacts, occlusion, profile). The best thing to do is ask the lab if a 3D printed models is required!

What other things can go wrong!
  • Missing scan information of the arches, teeth, gingiva - The most commonly missing areas of digital scans are the mesial and distal surfaces of teeth adjacent to the preparation, which will create an issue in crafting a restoration with the proper contour and contacts.

  • Distortion of scan data – This is caused by moisture such as saliva or other fluids which can cause misshaped teeth and preps in the scan data as I/O scanners cannot differentiate between that reflection and the rest of the image it’s capturing.

  • Misalignment in the bite scan - Inaccurate occlusion in the bite scan may sometimes result in an impression where the bite shows as being open or misaligned in a way that doesn’t match reality. Unfortunately, some errors that occur in the buccal scan may be difficult to detect at the impression phase, and may not actually reveal themselves until the restoration comes back with a bite that is too high and requires occlusal adjustment.

  • Human error – Forget to send the scan data or email to the laboratory to notify them of the case or RX requirement e.g shade. Traditional impression get taken, RX filled whilst disinfecting, placed in a bag, put in a basket ready for the lab to collect! The digital world requires the input of data to get the final outcome.

Conclusion
What are your goals for your investment? Many clients use the I/O scanners for many different uses including orthodontic, restorative and preventative dentistry which all provide a ROI. I personally believe they are accurate, productive, eliminates variables and has many benefits including logistics but it has it’s limitations. Although this blog is not comprehensive enough to provide an informed decision on an I/O scanner investment, It will provide some form of a foundation to start from, as we are a dental laboratory who deal with this daily with 1000’s of cases monthly.

Click below to view  our digital services:

Picture
Picture
Picture

Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Private Dental Laboratory in London

      Subscribe to our ‘Dental Laboratory Newsletter’
      For updates on dentistry with important information, new products, promotions and technical / clinical guides via a newsletter.
    Subscribe

    Clinical Dental Technician Kash Qureshi - Bremadent Dental Laboratory & Swissedent Denture ClinicKash Qureshi - Managing Director, Clinical Dental Technician
    About the author:
    Kash Qureshi is a Clinical Dental Technician (Denturist) in the U.K who oversees and quality controls over 3000+ fixed and removable prosthesis including implant cases from a clinical and technical aspect monthly at Bremadent Dental Laboratory & Swissedent Denture Clinic in London.
    www.swissedent.co.uk  www.bremadent.co.uk [email protected]


    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Articles
    Case Studies
    Clinical Guides
    Laboratory News
    New Product
    Newsletter
    Press
    Technical Guides

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    February 2024
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    January 2021
    September 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

Let's Keep Connected!

HOME - ABOUT US - OUR SERVICES - CONTACT US
ADDRESS: 25A St James Street, London, E17 7PJ - PHONE: 0208 520 8528 - EMAIL: [email protected]
Subscribe to our newsletter!
© 2025 Bremadent Dental Laboratory - Sitemap

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Our Laboratory
    • Our Management Team
    • Our Clinic
    • Case Studies
    • Newsletter
    • Policies >
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Warranty & Remake
      • Cross Infection Control
      • Complaints Handling
      • COVID19
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
    • Press
    • Working Times & Deliveries
    • Postage Portal
  • Our Services
    • Pay online
    • Price List
    • Bremadent Clinic
    • Digital >
      • Digital Dentures
      • Dental 3D Printed Models Shop
      • CAD-CAM
      • Dental 3D Printing
      • Digital Study Models
      • Digital Crown & Bridge
      • Digital Implantology
      • Digital Prosthetics
    • Crown & Bridge >
      • All ceramic >
        • Veneers
        • IPS e.max
        • Layered Zirconia Crowns (Cercon)
        • Full Contour Zirconia Crowns
        • Composite
      • Complex / Combination
      • Porcelain Bonded
      • Full Metal Crowns
      • Smile Make Overs & Diagnostic Wax Ups
      • Shade Matching
      • Executive Service
    • Implantology >
      • All on X immediate Implant Loading
      • Implant Crown & Bridge
      • Implant Prosthetics
      • Implant Milled Bars
      • Tempaplant 3 in 1
    • Prosthetics (Dentures) >
      • Digital Dentures
      • Swissedent Cosmetic Dentures
      • Valplast Flexible Dentures
      • Cobalt Chrome (CoCr)
      • Hybrid Chromes
      • Acetal frameworks / tooth coloured clasps
      • Characterised / Special effects
      • Denture Repairs
      • Fiber Force
    • Pressure Formed >
      • Anti - Snoring Devices
      • Gum Shields
      • Night / Mouth Guards
      • Whitening Trays
    • Orthodontics >
      • Kois Deprogrammer
      • Essix Retainers
      • Michigan / Tanner Splints
      • Zirconia Retainers
    • Clinical Guides
    • Downloads
  • App
  • News
  • Employment
  • Contact Us