Digitally Restoring a Crown To Fit An Existing Partial

Digitally designing a restoration to fit under an existing partial takes a few extra steps.

• Scan the partial by itself (see pic above, powder is typically needed)

• Scan the patient before prep

• Scan the patient after prep

• Scan the patient with partial in place

• Scan the opposing and bite

When we set up the design order all files will be brought into the case.  The working scans will be the opposing and the prep scan.  The additional scans will be aligned to the prepped scan.  The partial scan will be aligned once the scan of the partial is aligned with the working model.  Once the partial is aligned then the scan with the partial in place is removed.  What we have is a working scan that we can have the ability to turn on and off the partial as we design the restoration.  

Please Note: If the partial is scanned along with the working model only, this typically doesn’t work because the scanner cannot get underneath the partial causing voids in the scan.