The Encode Complete Impression System enables the restorative dentist to transfer information from the patient regarding the type and position of Biomet 3i implants, adjacent dentition and soft-tissue to the dental technician who provides a patient-specific final abutment for cement-retained restorations utilising CAD/CAM technology. Screw-retained single unit crowns in porcelain fused to zirconia can also be provided using this technique.
The procedure involves a direct impression of the uniquely-coded Encode Complete healing abutment in-situ and eliminates the need to remove the healing abutment and the use of a pick-up post to provide a fixture level impression, potentially preserving supporting bone and papilla.
Abutment
The markings machined into the exposed occlusal surface of the Encode Healing abutment provide the following information:
- Implant platform diameter
- Healing abutment collar height (implant depth)
- Implant hex orientation
- Implant interface type (internal hex or external hex).
The above information is all that is required to allow the design and fabrication of the definitive Encode abutment utilising a scanner that interprets the codes from the Encode abutment. A robotic system is used to place the implant analogue into the working cast and CAD/CAM technology used to design and mill the definitive Encode abutment from titanium or Zirconia.
Encode abutment
- Used for cement-retained restorations
- Single or multiple units
- Up to 30 degree correction
- Equal to or greater than 0.5mm tissue depth
- Equal to or greater than 6mm inter-arch space
- Minimum distance between multiple implants of 2mm
- Restorative platform
- The Encode abutment is custom-made for either Certain (internal hex) or external hex connections in 3.4mm, 4.1mm, 5mm, and 6mm diameter platforms.
Abutment materials
- Titanium
- Zirconia (these ceramic abutments facilitate the provision of final restorations with ultimate aesthetics.)
Robocast model
The Robocast is a master cast produced from a robotically-modified Encode Healing Abutment. This provides an implant level model for the dental laboratory to fabricate the final restoration.
Robotic technology is used with conventional CAD software to:
- Prepare a receptacle in the cast at each implant analog site to accept the appropriate analog.
- Create a contoured gingival profile which matches the gingival margin of the final Encode abutment at each analog site.
- Position the appropriate implant analog at each site replicating the intra-oral surgical placement of the implant seating surface and orientation of the implant hex.
The benefits of using the Encode Complete restorative system are:
1. It simplifies the impression technique. There is no need for removal of the healing abutment and selection and fitting of pick-ups.
2. Restorative dentist needs to hold less stock of components.
3. An increase in referrals to surgical dentists because the referring dentist may be more likely to become involved in implant treatment due to the simplification of the restorative aspect of treatment.
4. Ideal shape of abutment.
5. The Encode technique requires less surgery time than a conventional pick up impression technique.
6. Tissue preservation may be achieved as soft tissue is spared the unnecessary trauma of traditional impression techniques therefore bone remodelling potentially minimised.
It is the simplicity and the savings in clinical time that are the most attractive features of the Encode Complete restorative system.
Acknowlegement
Thanks to Southern Cross Dental Laboratories Ltd for the technical work related to this case.