I purchased a SprintRay through them. I'm new to the 3D printer realm and they've been great with answering my questions and getting me set up. I've just really have been impressed with the quick responses, its much appreciated, thank you! - 4/20/2022
Brandon Jones
Cad-Ray customer service is great! Super responsive and efficient. - 3/26/2024
Jansen Bean
Heather with CADRay provided wonderful assistance with setting up our new scanner, and was able to work around a minor scheduling issue on my part. Top notch service! - 6/28/2024
Yen Tran
Jonathan and Nick have been a great tremendous help. They went out of their ways to help me upgrade my Medit i500 even though I didn’t purchase my Medit i500 scanner from them. They are the largest Medit scanner distributor and they have the custome...read moreJonathan and Nick have been a great tremendous help. They went out of their ways to help me upgrade my Medit i500 even though I didn’t purchase my Medit i500 scanner from them. They are the largest Medit scanner distributor and they have the customers’ interest at heart. They are super responsive to phone calls, emails, and Facebook messages. I highly recommend their servicesread less - 9/01/2021
michael kim
Great scanner, even better customer support. I text John everyday and he always gets back to me in a timely manner with all my questions. - 7/09/2020
Great experience with CAD-Ray, specifically Damien, with purchasing and customer service with servicing a scanner that needed replacing under warranty. All around excellent service and I will definitely come back for future technology we'll eventuall...read moreGreat experience with CAD-Ray, specifically Damien, with purchasing and customer service with servicing a scanner that needed replacing under warranty. All around excellent service and I will definitely come back for future technology we'll eventually be adding to our practice.read less - 10/23/2024
Logan Riggs
I always rely on Frank to help with any questions or concerns regarding our printer. The best in tampa. - 1/25/2023
Dixie Jernigan
The customer service we have received while working with Frank DeLuca is second to none! He is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic, as well as always available to help with any issues. We are very pleased with CAD-RAY and relationship that they...read moreThe customer service we have received while working with Frank DeLuca is second to none! He is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic, as well as always available to help with any issues. We are very pleased with CAD-RAY and relationship that they have with their clients.read less - 1/25/2023
Jeff Johnston
Very Helpful, good company to work with. Always been there for me - 3/10/2017
Emerson Gower
Nothing but great things to say about Cad-Ray! Excellent customer support from Laura after the purchase of our Medit i500 and the cart from Damien. I’ve been very impressed with the Medit in restoring crown and bridge, as well as fixed hybrids, and...read moreNothing but great things to say about Cad-Ray! Excellent customer support from Laura after the purchase of our Medit i500 and the cart from Damien. I’ve been very impressed with the Medit in restoring crown and bridge, as well as fixed hybrids, and learning more of its capabilities each day. We have intentions to buy a second Medit shortly and will definitely be using Cad-ray again.read less - 12/13/2021
Shant Aharonian
Cad-ray has to be the best company to work with when it comes to digital dentistry solutions. Here are the reasons why:
1. Experience. Everyone in the company has extensive experience in dentistry. They have used all digital platforms and offer cust...read moreCad-ray has to be the best company to work with when it comes to digital dentistry solutions. Here are the reasons why:
1. Experience. Everyone in the company has extensive experience in dentistry. They have used all digital platforms and offer customers first hand experience.
2. Honesty. Based on their experience they share all the good/bad of different systems. They work with you to find a solution that works best for you. Not sell you the piece of the equipment that gives them the biggest commission.
3. Support. Cad-ray offers the missing piece of the dentist/digital manufacturer puzzle. Many other distributors sell you a piece of equipment but don’t have true day-to-day experience with that equipment. Cad-ray’s team openly share their expertise to help customers optimize their workflows with great technology.
4. Passion. The Cad-ray team is extremely passionate about their craft. They truly believe in what they have to offer.
I took Armen Mirzayan’s course on intraoral scanning and it was truly mind blowing. Armen’s insights will help any dentist optimize their craft. I purchased the full sprintray 3d printing ecosystem the help of Frank. I plan to purchase more equipment from cad-ray.
Also, Jesse is a genius in regards to all aspect of digital workflows. I’m truly grateful for this company and everyone who I’ve worked with so far.read less - 10/07/2022
Kyle Coffin
Bought a medit 6 months ago and customer service has been nothing short of amazing. Always very responsive and helpful. Great scanner, too! - 6/16/2020
Tommy Han
Awesome service. Bought a Medit and was able to learn how to use it simply by watching Cad-Ray's support and education videos. Three thumbs up! - 6/16/2020
Dado Dado
Frank DeLuca has been great since we bought the scanner! Always there for you and returns his calls asap. Thank you Frank! - 1/25/2023
Stuart Adam
Amazing team!
Andy was amazing with explaining everything needed to be successful with the medit i700 and encouraged me to give CADRAY a call if I have any questions in the future. I have some colleagues that have regarded CADRAY as the gold stand...read moreAmazing team!
Andy was amazing with explaining everything needed to be successful with the medit i700 and encouraged me to give CADRAY a call if I have any questions in the future. I have some colleagues that have regarded CADRAY as the gold standard for service and I can now say that I completely agree. Thank you!read less - 12/27/2021
Best service and support. Period. The product I purchased (Medit i500) is fantastic, but integrating it into my practice has been super smooth because of the support from Cad-Ray. They not only answer the phone with REAL people, but those people ACTU...read moreBest service and support. Period. The product I purchased (Medit i500) is fantastic, but integrating it into my practice has been super smooth because of the support from Cad-Ray. They not only answer the phone with REAL people, but those people ACTUALLY want to help you. Kind of a novel concept in this day and age. Definitely the best customer service I've experienced from an equipment dealer, and I've purchased equipment from just about all the big companies. Will definitely purchase from them in the future. I highly recommend them.read less - 8/07/2022
H C
I got my 3Dshape scanner, great support , my training with Destany was excellent. Great team!! - 2/15/2024
Kristine Keshishyan
My Intraoral scanner was not working. It wouldn’t scan, during the scan the screen was completely blue. I contacted Laura and she logged in remotely and took care of the problem. She was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Thank you Laura for your o...read moreMy Intraoral scanner was not working. It wouldn’t scan, during the scan the screen was completely blue. I contacted Laura and she logged in remotely and took care of the problem. She was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Thank you Laura for your outstanding service. Thank you.read less - 12/07/2021
Victoria Rinando
Danielle was super helpful and kind trouble shooting to get us back up and going very quickly this morning. We appreciate it! - 4/15/2025
Stephen S
Choosing an digital intraoral scanner these days can be quite a daunting task. When I reached out to CAD-Ray, as was recommended by many colleagues, I was connected to Frank DeLuca, and he made my decision-making process very simple. Upon receiving...read moreChoosing an digital intraoral scanner these days can be quite a daunting task. When I reached out to CAD-Ray, as was recommended by many colleagues, I was connected to Frank DeLuca, and he made my decision-making process very simple. Upon receiving my 3shape Trios 4 scanner, Frank and the entire tech support team/customer service were very helpful every step of the way. Frank makes himself available when he can in order to address all of the questions I have regarding the digital workflow. I highly recommend CAD-Ray. It will make your transition to digital scanning a positive experience.read less - 1/24/2023
Steven Oshins
I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Frank DeLuca this past year. He is always pleasant, willing to help, responsive to my questions and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend Frank!! - 12/16/2021
Ray Voller
There’s nothing like a company with top notch support like Cadray! Frank DeLuca is one of THE most helpful, non- condescending people I’ve ever dealt with! He ALWAYS strives to make us the BEST we can be and almost immediately helps us with any quest...read moreThere’s nothing like a company with top notch support like Cadray! Frank DeLuca is one of THE most helpful, non- condescending people I’ve ever dealt with! He ALWAYS strives to make us the BEST we can be and almost immediately helps us with any questions or problems ( which are minimal with the i700!) HIGHLY recommend this company and their scanner!!read less - 10/06/2022
ycsongdds
I have had zoom training with Andy today. I can honestly say that he was the best. He was patient and very throughal. I learned a lot I would ask him again when I need support again Thanks Rodger - 3/15/2023
Eric Bailey
Couldn't be happier with the support I've gotten from these guys. Trouble-shooting a problem real time so you can call a patient and get them right back in with a solution is extremely hard customer service to match. Thanks a ton and no question wher...read moreCouldn't be happier with the support I've gotten from these guys. Trouble-shooting a problem real time so you can call a patient and get them right back in with a solution is extremely hard customer service to match. Thanks a ton and no question where I'll be going for any more purchases!read less - 10/06/2021
This is my second review. I posted the first after having Medit for about 9 months. Loved it then, had great success with using the scanner to take full arch scans for clear aligner therapy, study models, removable partials, and crown and bridge. ...read moreThis is my second review. I posted the first after having Medit for about 9 months. Loved it then, had great success with using the scanner to take full arch scans for clear aligner therapy, study models, removable partials, and crown and bridge. Have kept using it and am still very happy with the Medit and with Cad-Ray. The scanner takes care of so many things in a way that impresses patients and pleases lab techs. Whenever I hit a computer glitch, I call Armen, Frank or any other members of the gang and my problems are solved quickly and without drama.read less - 6/16/2020
I've been using this for almost 2 months now and I just love it. At this price point, ROI is a no-brainer. The convenience factor is amazing. I only did the DIY online training and I'm pretty confident doing the scan. I've signed up for the actual ...read moreI've been using this for almost 2 months now and I just love it. At this price point, ROI is a no-brainer. The convenience factor is amazing. I only did the DIY online training and I'm pretty confident doing the scan. I've signed up for the actual course so looking forward to seeing it's greater potentials.read less - 10/14/2019
Great ongoing support and customer assistance. Been working with Frank for years, even before cad ray. Always there for any help i ever need. Cad ray support is like no other. - 1/26/2023
Collins Woodside
I purchased my Medit i500 scanner almost a year ago from CAD-Ray. Laura and the team there have been so responsive and ready to help. It is so nice to have a person answer the phone and be willing and able to assist! - 12/09/2021
Obdulia Rondon
Thanks for delivering amazing courses. Always thinking beyond dentistry. Thanks for sharing all so selflessly. - 11/13/2022
Dan Malloy
Extremely good customer service. From start to finish buying my Medit was flawless and they were very helpful in offering me information. When I got my scanner I had questions and my phone calls were returned immediately. They knew my name and guided...read moreExtremely good customer service. From start to finish buying my Medit was flawless and they were very helpful in offering me information. When I got my scanner I had questions and my phone calls were returned immediately. They knew my name and guided me through what I would need. Very impressed. Would recommend!read less - 2/02/2020
Oleg Eisenstein
Great products and services. Highly recommended - 6/16/2020
Great 1st lesson with Ryan on the Mediti700. We are ready to scan:) - 12/30/2022
Rosemary Toczydlowski
I had a phone call with Frank from support today, and he was awesome! Very helpful and knowledgeable. He sorted out all our issues no problem. Thank you Frank!! - 6/09/2021
Allen Mortimer
So glad we used Cad-Ray. They absolutely helped set everything up and even helped us tremendously when we needed a replacement. We are using the i700 and are thrilled with it! - 11/03/2022
Alexandra Lentz
Cad-Ray has been awesome to work with, very knowledgeable and quick to respond. Nick has been answering all my questions since day 1 and made the entire process of purchasing the Medit i700 a breeze. Can't believe how quick the product shipped and ca...read moreCad-Ray has been awesome to work with, very knowledgeable and quick to respond. Nick has been answering all my questions since day 1 and made the entire process of purchasing the Medit i700 a breeze. Can't believe how quick the product shipped and cannot wait to start scanning with it!read less - 12/15/2021
Before working with cad-ray, I was hesitant to dive into digital dentistry due to the complexity of it. Working with Laura at cad-ray made all of my concerns go away. She was there to help me with my Exocad software installation, even outside of norm...read moreBefore working with cad-ray, I was hesitant to dive into digital dentistry due to the complexity of it. Working with Laura at cad-ray made all of my concerns go away. She was there to help me with my Exocad software installation, even outside of normal business hours - really hard to come by! I also purchased a Medit i500 and getting that setup and working in my clinic was seamless. I could not have asked for better support while navigating digital dentistry. My next purchase will be a 3D printer, and i know exactly where i will buy it from! Highly recommend these guys.read less - 11/20/2020
David Christensen
I purchased the Medit i500 from Cad-Ray December 2018. I couldn’t be happier with the scanner. The improvements Medit has made over the last 10 months are nothing short of astounding! I can’t imaging what they’ll come up with next.
As for Cad-Ray...read moreI purchased the Medit i500 from Cad-Ray December 2018. I couldn’t be happier with the scanner. The improvements Medit has made over the last 10 months are nothing short of astounding! I can’t imaging what they’ll come up with next.
As for Cad-Ray, their support has been second to none. Never have I experienced the kind of attention and help from any other company. Wether it’s with help installing, computer hardware issues or technical help they respond IMMEDIATELY!
Armen is also a huge reason why I chose Cad-Ray. No one selling a product has helped me more evolve my scanning technique. He’s quick to respond to questions and issues I feel his service is a huge reason why to buy from CAD-RAY.read less - 10/09/2019
only dental company that I have no complaints about - 11/03/2022
Kent Lysgaard
This company has the best customer support I have ever experienced. I purchased the I700 Intraoral scanner and the transition from impression material to io scanner has been so easy because of Cad-Ray. I highly recommend them. The response to questi...read moreThis company has the best customer support I have ever experienced. I purchased the I700 Intraoral scanner and the transition from impression material to io scanner has been so easy because of Cad-Ray. I highly recommend them. The response to questions/issues is instantaneous even with a patient in the chair they have the capability to go online and help. Absolutely first rate.read less - 4/13/2022
Bio Solution
Very great company, especially Frank. He is very helpful and has saved us a lot of money on resin for our 3D printers. We've recently bought a new scanner and Exocad software. He has been very gracious and quick to respond with the many questions I h...read moreVery great company, especially Frank. He is very helpful and has saved us a lot of money on resin for our 3D printers. We've recently bought a new scanner and Exocad software. He has been very gracious and quick to respond with the many questions I have had. Highly recommend Cad-Rayread less - 1/25/2023
LoAn Huynh
Erika is one of a kind! She truly is patient with me. She has gone above and beyond to help me every time I call her. We have a few locations and she is always prompt in her responses and always manages to find a solution for me. I wish every rep was...read moreErika is one of a kind! She truly is patient with me. She has gone above and beyond to help me every time I call her. We have a few locations and she is always prompt in her responses and always manages to find a solution for me. I wish every rep was reachable ALL THE TIME and helpful! Thank you Erika! ❤️read less - 6/04/2025
Jason Oh
Everyone at CAD Ray has been amazing. Glad I chose them for my Medit and Sprint Ray purchase. Our training with Kaila was awesome. Thank you - 1/04/2023
AJ Ganir
Cadray has great support and service! They are very responsive to questions. Love the new medit scanner! - 5/06/2021
Jonathan Van Dyke
Cadray is excellent and their medit scanner is amazing! - 6/16/2020
jeremiah choi
Never had customer care like Cad-Ray, you can't go wrong purchasing through them. Trios is a great scanner. All the reps at Cad-Ray are very knowledgeable and helpful and will make sure you are up and running smoothly. Above and beyond customer serv...read moreNever had customer care like Cad-Ray, you can't go wrong purchasing through them. Trios is a great scanner. All the reps at Cad-Ray are very knowledgeable and helpful and will make sure you are up and running smoothly. Above and beyond customer service.read less - 8/27/2022
It has been great to work with Laura and Heather. The purchase, financing, shipping, and training process has been smooth. The training was very comprehensive and not rushed at all. I love my Medit i-600 scanner, and I recommend CAD-RAY 100%! - 5/22/2024
William Huszti
Nicely done Cad-Ray- Thanks for helping me get back to work! The new i700 is our tech fav! - 3/03/2022
Keith Bracy
My rep Nick at Cad-ray was very helpful in my purchase of the Medit i700. So far, I love the scanner and have no regrets about my purchase. The setup and support from the company have been seamless as well and the purchase process with financing!
I ...read moreMy rep Nick at Cad-ray was very helpful in my purchase of the Medit i700. So far, I love the scanner and have no regrets about my purchase. The setup and support from the company have been seamless as well and the purchase process with financing!
I was considering the new itero as well and happy I got the Medit instead! The lightweight scanner as well as no monthly ongoing fees was what ultimately won me over, as well as the robust software.read less - 7/21/2021
I cannot say enough about the support I have received from the beginning. I chose CadRay ultimately because of the support reviews...I can attest first hand...they are all right on...though I have been practicing for more than 35 years, this old dog...read moreI cannot say enough about the support I have received from the beginning. I chose CadRay ultimately because of the support reviews...I can attest first hand...they are all right on...though I have been practicing for more than 35 years, this old dog has been taught a lot of new tricks from the support staff at Cad Ray...Truly impressed with every interaction so far! Thanksread less - 5/11/2023
Melissa Poynter
Very pleased with Heather :) She has been able to solve any and all issues I may be having, and does so within the same day if not right away! - 6/16/2022
In this video we demonstrate a simple premolar case that is prepared and imaged with the Medit i500, designed in the cad software named exocad and then milled with the imes icor coritec one machine. Pay attention to the order and sequence of events and how we leverage anesthesia time with scanning time.
We have a large library of instructional videos on our site that can be found on our support page that can help you learn everything there is to know about the Medit i500
We are very pleased with millbox and the imes icore coritec one for a chairside milling solution. We’ve been testing it for a long time and its CAM (millbox) is very intuitive and the results are always predictable. It can mill titanium abutments, emax, and zirconia blocks.
The following videos illustrate how you can image a scanbody intra-orally and then design it in cad software. Here we used exocad to identify the biomax RP implant and designed both the custom titanium abutment and the suprastructure, both of which were milled with the CORiTEC ONE
There are so many implant and component libraries in cad/cam dentistry which can lead to a lot of confusion. What we highly recommend is that you visually compare the part numbers that you will be using with the part numbers displayed on the millbox software. One letter or number difference and the mistakes will have a profound impact on the bottom line of a dental practice
In this case presentation, we feature a crown that needs to be replaced due to open margins and recurrent decay.
With the Medit i500, after the patient is anesthetized and the area is isolated, the pre-existing crown is imaged in the pre-op catalog box. The area to be prepared is cropped out in anticipation of the imaging the modified preparation.
Once the crown is removed, expasyl is packed into the sulcus with a Number 2 cord. With the pre-op bitewings X-ray it was readily apparent that the tissue should be positively displaced in order to capture the margins. It took two layers of cord to achieve hemostasis for imaging with the Medit i500.
While placing the margin in the native imaging software, it was noted that some tissue was obscuring the margin on the lingual side. The area was isolated both clinically and in the software. It was cropped out and filled in with ‘good data’ after proper protection of the adjacent teeth and margins so that we did not obscure their geometry.
Once the margins are identified and the case is processed it is automatically imported into exocad for design and then sent to the Imes Icore CORiTEC Once for manufacturing. The emax restoration was tried in and then delivered after crystalization.
In this article, we demonstrate how to manage a crown replacement on a second upper premolar with the Medit i500, exocad, and the imes icore CORiTEC ONE milling machine. The pre-existing crown was over 2 decades old and the recession revealed a supra-gingival margin. Furthermore, there was no room to improve the anatomy or its outline form as it was in occlusion with the opposing dentition.
A powerful design technique is the copy of the pre-existing crown. Images of the pre-op are taken while the patient is numb and its contours are copied onto the final design of the restoration. This process usually takes a minute or so, after which we milled a size 12 emax block restoration.
One of the most dreaded procedures in dentistry is to cut off a bonded lithium disilicate material. With zirconia, since the bond strength is weak, just “rattling” the crown helps it pop off. You could also debond the restoration with a laser pretty quickly. With emax, you must use copious amounts of water so you don’t fry the pulp. You must also refrain from splitting the crown with a crown remover because you can damage the remaining tooth structure catastrophically.
In this sequence of photos, you will see how we recommend the removal of the bonded restoration. You must first create a trough across the occlusal surface of the crown. Ideally, use a 1.6 mm disposable bur to reach the interface between tooth structure and restorative material. As soon as you reach this junction, take a flat ended diamond bur and start working that same location and remove all the ceramic on the occlusal surface. Staying right at the junction of the material and tooth is the critical part of the process.
After you have removed the occlusal surface, you can take any bur and work the junction one the axial wall. By this time enough work has been done where the walls of the restoration start to break and peel off on their own.
All milling machines have guidelines for proper cleaning and maintanance. The imes icore CORITEC ONE’s spray channels must be kept clean, otherwise they will spray off the target block materials. Essentially you will dry mill ceramic which will damage the material and break the drills very quickly.
You can see how little particles of ceramic and titanium dust can clog the lines.
Here we just used an ortho plier and orthowires to unclog the lines. It’s easiest to have the water spraying so you can identify the channels and see the immediate results.
A new feature coming to Medit i500 is the automatic detection of scanbodies while you are imaging. In this clinical case, two implants are placed in the lower left quadrant in a fully guided fashion. Spacing limitations and proximity to vital anatomy did not allow for proper parallelism. This can create all kinds of headaches with analog dentistry where the trays can inadvertently lock in the mouth of distort upon poor up.
With the digital approach, you can scan the gingiva, the arch with easy access to adjacent contacts, and then the scanbodies themselves. What is great is that you do not disturb the primary stability you just achieved by placing physical forces on freshly placed implants.
Once the images are captured and the scanbodies are identified, we launch exocad and the data is not only automatically imported into the Computer Aided Design Software, it also plots the fixtures in the correct position and identifies their location and timing so you can proceed with the design of the custom abutment and / or tibase restoration.
This 4 unit case was imaged in Medit i500 and designed in exocad. The final restoration was taken to CEREC inlab cam. When the construction file is imported into cam, it contains data such as the margin line which is important for the milling machine to know for its tool path calculations.
In this particular situation, the construction file dictated the position of the restoration in the block which would have not allowed for proper milling. Instead of loading the construction file, we imported the stl design, redrew the margins really quickly and were able to mill the two separate (4 unit) case out of a single emax block.
A very common source of frustration for most dentists or those who are new to designing implant crowns is the emergence profile of the abutment or crown. Most of the time, the shape of the tissue dictates the digital design and this article showcases how we used the medit i500 for the intra-oral scan of the patient and then used exocad to design the restorations. Our advanced users can appreciate how we bring the arch model in twice- once as the maxillary model and once as the gingiva model. We then digital sculpt the tissue to create the proper profile yet we still have the original model to reflect back to asses the changes.
Few things in dentistry that can be as frustrating as seating a second molar restoration, whether you are doing same day dentistry or having a lab made prosthesis delivered. Here is a protocol we recommend that you follow to dramatically reduce surprises and post op adjustments. In this particular clinical case a zirconia crown debonded and we elected to fabricate an in-office emax restoration. The sequence is as follows:
While the patient is anesthetized and you are waiting for the onset of anesthesia, capture the opposing impression and the arch models. Trim away the prep digitally and then proceed to the buccal bite capture
Do NOT capture the bite until you verify clearance. In the sequences of videos that follow, watch how we use the Medit i500 to capture digital pictures of the clearance
Once we verify clearance, we image the bite. You have the option at this point to see how well your occlusal stamps match the digital stamps if you want to. A large deviation may mean the jaw settled or the patient moved during the bite capture. Note that unlike conventional dentistry, you capture the bite here BEFORE the prep is finalized
Once you achieve isolation you can finalize the prep and retract the tissue and capture the prep. We elected to capture the preparation in HD mode
The case is then immediately imported into the CAD software for design and fabrication
With the Meditlink software you can design a case and then export the designs and take them to any milling machine of your choice. In this demonstration, we use the CORiTEC ONE to mill out the metal abutment in 45 minutes. This procedure is not intended to be a single appointment visit so timing is not critical and you don’t place undue wear and tear on the milling machine.
The crowns were milled with two different milling machines. A Celtra Duo block was used and milled with the CEREC MCXL and retrofitted to the abutment to verify the fit and accuracy. The same crown stl was milled out of Vita material in the imes icore machine. The whole point of the demonstration is that you can take scans from any intra-oral scan, take it to CAD software (in this case exocad) and then export the case and take it to any printer or milling machine of your choice. You must make sure critical information is accurately transferred from your CAD software to your CAM software, which is generally the construction / project file that accompanies the STL files of the prosthetic components
The same crown was milled out of Vita’s Suprinity material in 20 minutes with the imes-icore CORiTEC ONE. Take note of the internal adaptation of the metal abutment and the restoration and how when it is flipped upside down, the restoration does not fall out easily!
When we 3D scan the surface of an object, we plot geometric figures (usually triangles) on the surface of that object which is usually round or has some other geometric shape. A satellite beam hitting the surface of the earth is a good way to visualize the scanning process as the photo illustrates.
As you span across long distances, a meshwork of triangles are plotted together to accurately represent the topography of the object. You can start “veering off track” and forming models that are inaccurate representations of that object if you don’t properly form this framework. There are many variables that can introduce these errors including simple matters like speed of scanning.
Now, with this dental artificial intelligence program, the software can digitally plot and drop known shapes on top of attachments or devices we place in the mouth. Color mapping can let us know if we are staying accurate, on path, or introducing errors and deviations!
Now imagine if you have 6 objects sticking out of a flat plane that this AI program readily recognizes. Identifying these landmarks is the first step, but the bigger significance is that we can scan from object 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 > 6, and when we continuously to image backwards from object 6 to object 1, and our color coding remains the same, we are guaranteed scan accuracy.
People go to 2 extra years of schooling to do accurate work in complex cases, most of which will be replaced with software algorithms like this. This is a serious and significant advancement in dentistry, particularly in implant dentistry. Here’s a video that detail how we use it to restore dental implants.
In the following three videos we walk you through the steps of how the digital “scanbody drop” works to identify the location of an implant fixture. In the demonstration videos, we highlight this upcoming feature and how you an integrate the CAD software for implant designs and restorations. In the final video, we demonstrate how you can take the construction files to the milling machine of your choice and mill out the abutment and/or suprastructure.
In this case demonstration, we show how you can image in the Medit i500 and follow the most logical steps and sequences to produce a restoration. You capture the preparation, the opposing and bite and once the models are rendered, you can launch the CAD software of your choice. The lower right molar was endontically retreated and the porcelain fused to ceramic crown needed to be replaced as it was overcontoured and impinging on the soft tissue. After the crown was removed, the preparation was refined and impressions were taken. The remaining cotton / cavit / gutta percha was removed right before placement, a NX3 by Kerr was used, which is both build up material and a resin cement. The space between the intaglio of the crown and the pulp chamber was retrofilled at seating time and a final x-ray was taken to make sure there was no excess resin left behind.
Here, we utilize exocad. Once we click on the CAD software button, the software is launched and the models are imported automatically.
Once the case is designed, meditlink walks you through the next step which is to nest the restoration and to mill it with whatever milling machine you choose to utilize. Here, we used the CEREC MCXL, the Z4 from VHF, and the imes icore CORiTEC one.
When you start a case in exocad or in Meditlink, you have to define a project or define the job by entering a prescription. A dentalproject file is created that has all the pertinent data, like the type of restoration, the shade, the material, parameter settings,etc..
After the case is designed a dental cad project file is formed, along with the stl file of the restoration, accompanied by the construction information. Once the construction file is formed, the case can be import it into CAM software like cerec inlab. It carries a lot of information like the margin line.
Some CAM software can process simple redirections without the need for any other pertinent information from the construction file, while others require it. Some are so specific that a simple typo or wrong character will lead to mis-production.
In the case of cerec inlab, it’s best to have the construction file accompany the stl of the restorations, although there are numerous work-arounds in case you don’t. Once processed, the restoration is taken to the Mcxl milling machine.
Why are we so focused on teaching this concept ? Because it is critical for milling metal abutment where you have to keep track of an object that is cylindrical and symmetric in shape. The code in these files will dictate the indexing of the connections and how these abutments are milled.
This is the occlusal appliance that was milled and delivered from this patient’s scan approximately 7 days ago. The appliance did not need a single adjustment neither on the occlusal surface, nor in the intaglio.