What is an intraoral scan?

For general dentists and prosthodontists, the practical shift is upstream: instead of pouring a stone model, a certified file travels to the lab within minutes of capture. Dani Dental accepts scans from the major systems including iTero, 3Shape TRIOS, Medit, and Carestream. The file enters the CAD workflow the same business day, which compresses the total case timeline on crown-and-bridge and implant restorations compared to conventional impression workflows.

The clinical accuracy threshold that matters is trueness and precision measured in microns. Published data on current generation scanners shows full-arch trueness in the 50-100 micron range for most leading systems, adequate for single units and implant-supported fixed restorations when the scan protocol is followed correctly. Partial-arch accuracy is tighter, routinely under 30 microns. Where the scan fails is usually in technique: inadequate retraction, excessive saliva, or skipping the opposing and bite registration scans entirely.

For implant cases specifically, the scan must capture the scan body seated on the implant, not just the soft tissue. That file tells the lab the exact three-dimensional position and angulation of the fixture. Without it, the abutment and final restoration cannot be designed to the implant platform. Surgeons and prosthodontists working on full-arch All-on-X cases should confirm with their lab which scan body library is loaded before the day of surgery.