Das Wichtigste in Kürze
- Fully digital workflow: DVT → planning → surgical guide → intraoral scanner → CAD/CAM crown — without physical impressions.
- Intraoral scanner: accuracy 5–20 micrometres, more comfortable than impression tray, scan in 3–7 minutes.
- CAD/CAM crown: production time 1–2 days instead of 1–2 weeks, highly precise fit from zirconia or ceramic.
- Digital workflow reduces appointments and error sources — every transfer from analogue to digital is a precision loss.
- Scanbody protocol: for the digital impression after implantation, a scanbody is placed on the implant — check whether your implant system supports this.
- Ask: 'Do you use an intraoral scanner for the impression?' and 'Is the crown CAD/CAM-milled?'
From the first diagnosis to the definitive crown: a modern dental implant can today be fully digitally planned, placed, and restored — without a single physical impression. This article explains what this means concretely, how each step works, and what questions you should ask.
The 5 phases of the digital implant workflow
Digital diagnostics: DVT/CBCT
DVT (digital volume tomography) provides a three-dimensional image of the jaw with slice thicknesses of 0.1–0.3 mm. It shows bone volume, density, and quality, as well as the exact location of nerve canals, maxillary sinus, and adjacent teeth. This dataset is the foundation for all further digital steps.
Computer-assisted implant planning
Based on the DVT dataset, the implant is planned on the computer (backward planning). Software such as coDiagnostiX, Simplant, or Nobel Clinician allows virtual placement with automatic safety distance checking. The result is a patient-specific surgical drilling guide.
Guided implantation (guided surgery)
The surgical guide is placed on the jaw and directs the surgeon with millimetre precision. Drilling direction, depth, and position are exactly predetermined. With sufficient bone, flapless surgery (without incision) is often possible — minimising wound area and healing time.
Digital impression: intraoral scanner
After the healing period (8–16 weeks), a scanbody is placed on the implant. The intraoral scanner captures the exact position of the implant in the jaw and creates a precise 3D model. This digital impression replaces the conventional impression tray — more comfortable for the patient, more precise for the laboratory.
CAD/CAM crown fabrication and fitting
The dental laboratory designs the crown on a computer (CAD) and mills it from a zirconia or ceramic block (CAM). Production time: 1–3 days. The crown is tried in, digitally adjusted if necessary, and fitted. No waiting for plaster models or manually fabricated restorations.
Intraoral scanner vs. conventional impression
Conventional impression
Intraoral scanner
The digital workflow is today's standard — not the exception
A fully digital workflow from DVT diagnostics to the CAD/CAM crown is today's standard in modern implantology practices. It reduces error sources, shortens treatment times, and is significantly more comfortable for patients. Ask your dentist explicitly about the planning and prosthetic procedure — a transparent dentist explains every step.
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Hinweis: Diese Inhalte dienen ausschließlich der allgemeinen Information und ersetzen keine individuelle zahnärztliche Beratung. Das Institut für Implantologie und digitale Zahnmedizin Wien ist eine gemeinnützige, unabhängige Wissenschaftsplattform — kein Behandlungsbetrieb. Alle Angaben entsprechen dem aktuellen Stand der wissenschaftlichen Literatur; individuelle Behandlungsentscheidungen müssen stets mit einem approbierten Zahnarzt oder Facharzt getroffen werden.