Carestream Dental’s CS ScanFlow v1.0.3 scanner acquisition software update is designed to enhance the scanning experience by reducing steps in the scanning process, protecting data, making it easier to work with third parties, and encouraging patients to share their virtual smiles on social media. It works with the CS 3600 and CS 3700 intraoral scanners.
Shiny or reflective surfaces such as metal, full ceramic brackets, and crowns and resins typically need to be sprayed with powder or microetched so they don’t interfere with the digital scan. But the software’s new anti-reflective mode optimizes the scanning of shiny or reflective surfaces, eliminating a step in the process so users can start scanning right away while generating a high-quality rendering of reflective surfaces on the digital impression, the company said.
“Anti-reflective mode in CS ScanFlow v1.0.3 addresses and resolves the challenges encountered when scanning metal, reflective, and semi-transparent surfaces, making it possible to scan even the hardest of cases,” said Dr. Pawe Paszkiewicz, founder of Estetique Center, Polancia-Zdroj, in Poland.
The update includes access to secure digital impression file conversion tools via cloud-based Microsoft Azure. Scanned datasets only can be exchanged with third parties that have logged in and provided their credentials for an additional layer of safety around patient privacy. This feature also eliminates the need to update the CS Mesh Converter on all computers in the practice when a new version of CS ScanFlow is available.
CS ScanFlow v1.0.3 also optimizes treatment planning and appliance fit with its bite feature capability, Carestream Dental said. Instead of the previous three, users can obtain up to five bites in addition to the normal one to get an extensive view of the patient’s overall occlusion, the company said. All five bites can be exported to a lab or used in third-party software as exocad or Blender for dental with an articulator add-on.
“From a prosthodontic perspective, the ability to now record five bites in the same scan is revolutionary,” said Paskiewicz. “To be able to obtain maximum intercuspation, anterior guidance, centric relation, and left and right canine guidance truly expands the digital capability of prosthodontic treatment planning and workflow.”
Now, users also can display the scan onscreen in the same orientation as the patient’s mouth with Smart Position mode for a more intuitive scanning experience, Carestream Dental said. Previously, the arch was displayed upside down while scanning, but with a more natural scan reflected on the computer so users can better track the tip position and follow the scan progression.
To help drive patient engagement from the start of treatment, Carestream Dental said, practices can create an animated MP4 file of the digital impression after completing the acquisition. This file can be emailed to patients for sharing on social media. Doctors can share the video with referring doctors to provide a 3D view of the case as well.
“These improvements to CS ScanFlow come based on the requests of users whose valuable feedback makes the software more efficient and the scanning experience better,” said Ed Shellard, DMD, chief dental officer at Carestream Dental.
Other user-inspired updated include scan preservation for refinement, an enhanced cutting tool, and intuitive scanner identification and connection, according to the company.
Subscribers of Carestream Dental’s CS Advantage plan will automatically receive an email with the link to upload CS ScanFlow v.1.0.3. Users who are not currently enrolled in a CS Advantage plan but would like to upgrade to CS ScanFlow can make a one-time software upgrade purchase through Carestream Dental.
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