Test Drive: Setting the Intraoral Scanning Pace With Primescan Connect™

Flucke ,John;

CEREC is probably the best-known intraoral scanning system in the industry. That name recognition is not due only to the system’s longevity in the dental industry but also to Dentsply Sirona, the company behind the product, remaining focused on technological innovation and keeping the device at the forefront of the product category.

This focus on improvement is readily apparent in the Primescan Connect, the newest version of the device from Dentsply Sirona, which I recently had the pleasure of evaluating in my practice. The camera for Primescan Connect and CEREC Primescan is identical, meaning you can expect the same performance with this laptop solution.

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When the CEREC Primescan was announced, one of my close friends, Paul Feuerstein, DMD, got a chance to try it. His description was, “The image on the screen is so smooth and seamless that it looks like water is pouring over the teeth.” Shortly after our conversation, I got a chance to try the unit myself, and I thought his assessment was perfect. The CEREC Primescan system is impressive and powerful, which translates to an onscreen experience that is smooth and easy.

One of the tremendous advantages of digital dentistry is the flexibility that technology has brought. There’s no single way to do digital dentistry, and Dentsply Sirona’s latest technology can fit into a range of dental practice settings.

Primescan Connect is an excellent choice for a doctor or an office who want the advantages of digital impressions without the bulk of a cart to move between operatories. It comes with the camera, camera cradle, Lenovo laptop, smart coupling box, carrying case, and accessories. With this system an office can do just about any impression procedure digitally. You simply move the laptop and scanner to wherever you need it, and you are good to go.

When I used the system, it was immediately apparent that the Primescan Connect is fast, and the learning curve is short. I watched team members do a full mouth (maxillary, mandibular, and buccal bite) in less than 60 seconds.

Of course, all that speed is great, but if the data are inaccurate, your clinical results will be inaccurate as well. However, that is of no concern to Primescan Connect users. I always look into the accuracy of any digital system I am using, and I was very impressed with the accuracy of Primescan. In addition to having incredible speed, the scanner is processing 1.5 million 3D data points per second. That is a ton of data to be assimilating every second.

There is also the matter of the depth of field. Practically speaking, the depth of field is how far away something can be from a camera and still be in focus. When it comes to 3D scanning, the depth of field is critical in delivering accuracy in a digital scan. The Primescan Connect has a dynamic lens that captures detail at up to 20 mm away from the camera. In practical terms, this means every part of a prep is captured and rendered with remarkable accuracy. This amazing depth of field is one more reason the scans produced possess such astounding detail.

One of the things I like to do when evaluating 3D scanning software is to just sit down and try to use it before I have been through any training. With the Primescan Connect, the acquisition software is impressive. The interface is incredibly simple to use with an intuitive design. The scanning process is simple, as well. I was impressed that no matter where the scanner was in the mouth, the software immediately and automatically knew where I was and changed the view on the monitor accordingly.

As an example of this capability, I started a scan and intentionally scanned the maxillary right quadrant first. When I reached the midpoint, I flipped the camera over and, instead of continuing from anterior to posterior, I placed the camera over the maxillary left second molar and continued to scan. The software instantaneously assessed the image from the scan and changed the view to show I was scanning the maxillary left second molar. I didn’t have to click anything or touch anything. The scanning software is always evaluating what the scanner sees and seamlessly renders what it sees on the screen.

Another benefit I found is that the user can stop and resume scanning at any time. If a patient needs a break during a scan, or you notice the prep needs a touch-up, you simply remove the scanner from the mouth and it pauses. Put the scanner back in the mouth and the system immediately identifies where you are and allows you to continue. If you changed the prep, the scan simply incorporates the new data when the lens goes over that tooth.

Having a scanner that almost anyone can use proficiently the moment they touch it is tremendous for productivity. I have been using intraoral 3D imaging since the late 1990s, and the tremendous advances that Dentsply Sirona have made are nothing short of miraculous. The speed of acquisition, the accuracy, and the ease of use are all game changing.

All of this is amazing, but what do you do with scan data after it’s acquired? That is where DS Core comes into play. A cloud-based platform that aims to simplify and streamline digital workflows for dentists and labs, DS Core features include CAD design outsourcing, data management, communication tools, and software integration.

DS Core is designed to be a secure digital hub for dental practices. Connecting with labs, managing data, sending images, and accessing digital services can all be done from a single application.

Intraoral 3D scanning is not only a game changer—it is a practice changer and a productivity changer as well. The profession is rapidly approaching the tipping point of digital workflows becoming the norm, and if a practice hasn’t incorporated a scanner yet, now is the time to look.

Primescan Connect allows you to step into digital dentistry with an open, versatile approach. Primescan Connect is compatible with all major lab software, which will enable you to enhance the partnership with your preferred lab.

My test drive of the Primescan Connect made me a believer in this laptop-powered intraoral scanning system. If you are looking to move into this technology, Primescan Connect should be a device that you put on the list to evaluate.