44
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CERECDOCTORS.COM
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QUARTER 2
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2016
C A S E S T U D Y
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B Y D A R I N O ’ B RYA N , D . D . S .
dental cad/cam systems have changed the way dentists, their staff and laboratories
approach a variety of
treatments. Definitive indirect restorations ranging from veneers and inlays/onlays to full-coverage crowns can be fabricated
and seated within hours — rather than days. Restorative dentists and specialists can collaborate more efficiently and effectively
by using CAD/CAM technologies and treatment planning cases; meanwhile discussing options with patients is greatly enhanced.
OptraGate: Ideal Isolation for
CAD/CAM Restorative Procedures
A Functional Method for Ensuring Retraction and a Dry Field
However, despite the accuracy and durability of CAD/CAM
restorations, time-honored principles regarding tooth preparations,
proper impression-taking, photographing shades and other restor-
ative processes must still be followed. Tooth preparations must be
properly performed and refined. When taking impressions — even if
they are obtained using digital intraoral scanning devices — the prep-
aration margins must be clearly visible, which means that the tissue
must be properly retracted and the preparation surfaces free from
saliva, blood and debris. Additionally, photographs for documenting
shades are best when no shadows or interferences are present (e.g.,
tongue, lips, buccal surfaces) that could affect shade perception.
As a result, achieving proper isolation remains important for
ensuring the precision and accuracy with which any of these proce-
dures — as well as those associated with adhesive cementation tech-
niques—arecompleted. Fortunately, a cost-effectiveanduser-friendly,
latex-free option for effectively retracting the lips and cheeks during
dental treatment is available that is easy to use, quick to place and
comfortable for patients: the OptraGate. Now available for children
in two new colors (blue and pink), the proven lip and cheek retractor
helpstoensureclearvisualizationofteethandmargins,aswellasunen-
cumbered access to important preparations and gingival landmarks.
OPTRAGATE FOR DIGITAL SCANNING,
PHOTOGRAPHS AND IMPRESSIONS
OptraGate is ideal for CAD/CAM cases and digital impression-
taking because it enables unimpeded, even retraction of the lips and
cheeks across a large area, which is beneficial for large full-arch or
full-mouth rehabilitation cases (Figs. 1-2). Likewise, it enables an
unobstructed view when photographing the teeth for shade-taking
purposes, whether using a digital camera or an intraoral scanner.
It is important to note, however, that for digital impression-taking,
because intraoral scanners cannot accurately and completely
acquire images of what they cannot detect, complete and thorough
Fig. 1: OptraGate enables unencumbered access to the full arch for
scanning the occlusal aspect of large cases
Fig. 2: OptraGate also makes it easy for clinicians to obtain a digital
scan from the buccal/facial perspective of a full arch for large cases
retraction and isolation are important (Fig. 3). Such retraction is
essential because the presence of blood, saliva and debris affect the
quality of digital impressions just as they do VPS impressions.
