Intraoral Scanning with the NEW COREMEDTECH on Ankylos implants
Using the CoreMedTech Scan Flag (Scan Body) on Anklyos Implants
The Implant Centre is at the forefront of improving the digital process for dental implant work. You may remember we presented the ‘Elos’ flag recently with some concerns about design and use – these have been recalled by the company, unfortunately. While they did work well, the coating was just too fragile.
We have been helping with the testing and development of a Scan Flag by CoreMedTech over the past few years, and this has finally been approved for release in the UK – Brexit once again delaying this for us! This flag is wonderful to use and excels past any of the alternative flags we have seen on the market.
There are just a couple of aspects for use that are worth sharing with you to make sure you have a trouble-free time, and experience a very high level of fit from the laboratory. We have worked through a few different designs of Scan Flag and the current one is ‘almost’ perfect.
Hints & Tips for ideal use of the CoreMedTech Scan body
1. The standard Ankylos screwdriver is perfectly compatible with this flag. The flag will lock into place reducing the risk of dropping the flag into the airway. We recommend the use of gauze to protect the airway of course, and the screwdriver should always be used in the ratchet to prevent swallowing of this. This is a very rare but possible risk.
2. The Scan Body should be rotated to feel it drop into the index – it will not fully seat and lock in place until the screw is tightened. Make sure that the index is engaged and you are not tightening the screw while the lobes of the index of the scan flag, sit on top of the lobes of the index in the implant – they must ‘mesh together’ as with all components. This is an unusual but possible risk and the next steps will help ensure that this has not happened.
3. Try to place the flat surface in an easy-to-scan position – facing buccal or lingual. Make sure the flag is not in contact with any adjacent teeth or other flags of course.
4. Slowly tighten the Scan Flag until you first feel this meets some resistance – DO NOT TIGHTEN TO 15 N-cm. This is critical to prevent the risk of separation of the laser-welded screw thread. Tightening to perhaps 5-8 N-cm will still engage the locking taper. You should then loosen the flag carefully, waiting to feel the ‘bind’ that happens as you feel the effect of this locking taper. This is a subtle feeling and may take a little time and practice to spot.
The reason this is so useful is it shows that the flag is perfectly seated into the locking taper, and you can be guaranteed that this is located perfectly in the index, so taking away one of the variables that happens with so many of the Scan Flags on the market. You do not need to tighten past around 5-8 N-cm (MAX) as there is no added benefit – the flag is just seated perfectly at a lower torque.
Once loosened and you feel this ‘bind’, you can retighten again to 5-8 N-cm before drying the flag and taking the intra-oral scan with your normal protocol.
Don’t forget – you MUST scan the top circular surface of the flag first, before scanning the sides for the best accuracy.
5. Once the scan is complete simply loosen and remove the Flag. You will feel once again the ‘bind’ of the taper, and then the ‘lift’ of the flag out of the taper – this makes it exceptionally easy to remove, especially in any immediate loading cases for example. There is never a need to ‘jiggle’ the flag to separate it as you will have with other Ankylos components.
6. Wash the site with the 3-in-1 and replace the sulcus former/temporary crown with some chlorhexidine gel.
Availability & Pricing
The cost of the Scan Body is £60 (incl. VAT) plus postage. These are currently available to order from The Implant Centre.
We will be delighted to answer any questions or concerns you have. We are well aware of the negative press that many scan flags have had, and the issues with scanning compared to conventional impressions.
Please be reassured that these flags will hopefully prove that digital intraoral scanning is highly accurate for implant restorations and that the issue has been the quality of scan flags in the past.
Please note, the CoreMedTech Scan Bodys work ONLY with the Ankylos system.
