Treatment Planning with Your i-CAT X-Ray & Intraoral Scanner

With nearly three decades of experience serving the dental imaging industry, i-CAT units are recognized internationally as a leader in radiography equipment. Known for being versatile, reliable 3-in-1 CBCT systems, the i-CAT family delivers high-quality 2D and 3D imaging, with special focus on patient comfort.

More dental and dental specialists are finding the diagnostic advantages of pairing panoramic and cone beam images with digital impressions from intraoral scanners. All CBCT products from i-CAT feature Tx Studio software, which has built-in functionality to pair with an intraoral scanner. Pairing these digital technologies will give you the ability to plan an entire course of patient treatment from start to finish.

Layering these digital scans helps you and your patients visualize their current dental anatomy alongside the projected final restorative results in order to provide the highest level of treatment planning and care for your patients.

PAIRING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF i-CAT CBCT IMAGING & INTRAORAL SCANNERS 

It’s no secret that i-CAT X-ray systems offer unprecedented treatment planning functionality through their robust Tx Studio software.

Tx Studio software helps dental professionals with built-in tools to enhance your treatment planning, including an innovative implant selection and placement tool, implant treatment reporting tools, and video simulation tools that can be used for patient communication, education, and engagement.

Notably, this Tx STUDIO software enables dental professionals to combine 3-D images with intraoral scans, providing a more thorough representation of the oral anatomy, including hard and soft tissues. Tx STUDIO also streamlines the process of sharing STL files and 3D plans with referrals when necessary.

MERGING THE FUNCTIONALITY

In order to overlay the functionality of intraoral scans with CBCT images, first capture a digital image of the patient’s anatomy with the i-CAT CBCT unit using the Tx Studio software. This i-CAT cone beam scan will capture anatomical detail in high resolution, including information associated with hard and soft tissue, that can be used for the purposes of diagnosis and treatment of a vast range of conditions - but it can also be notably used for dental implant placement and planning.

The intraoral scanner will complement the information provided by the CBCT image with surface detail of the patient’s teeth, which is necessary for orthodontic treatment and restoration planning.

Any intraoral scanner that captures images that can produce exportable STL files can be integrated with KaVo and i-CAT X-ray systems. The DICOM files of the CBCT scans can be merged with the STL files produced by the intraoral scanner, enabling an “all-in-one” view where all of the necessary details for implant placement and restoration planning can be gathered.

Layering CBCT images and intraoral scans also eliminates the need for capturing optical or cone beam scans of stone casts for the purposes of overlay and comparison.

Merging these two types of scans enables the surface detail of the surrounding teeth to be incorporated seamlessly into the treatment planning software. The enhanced detail of these “merged” scans enables a highly detailed assessment of planned implant receptor sites, allowing dental professionals to “lift away” levels of anatomical detail for more precise assessment.

For example, details associated with the bone can be removed from the view, enabling dental professionals to visualize the projected implant site’s proximity to natural tooth roots. Capabilities like this vastly improve implant placement planning and subsequent restorative treatment.

Importantly, these files can also be exported to third-party databases, or to dental or orthodontic labs, whereby additional assessments can be performed or supporting equipment can be produced. For example, these files can be exported to a 3D printer for the purpose of creating a splint, retainer, or IDB tray.

Eliminating the need to scan casts or traditional models has remarkable effects on efficiency and workflow, dramatically boosting each since all treatment planning can be conducted utilizing one file, on the same software platform.

(Note: Specific functionality varies according to software and module. Occasionally the purchase of an additional license or module is necessary to secure a specific tool or process. Please consult your software provider if you have questions about specific functionality.)