Keywordsintraoral scanner orthorestorative ortho workflowexocad invisaligndigital workflowscanner integration
An IOS is not one workflow — restorative and ortho scans follow different rules, and confusing them costs you retries.
Restorative scan
Focus on the prep margin: a 2–3 mm band of clean data around the margin beats a pretty full-arch scan. Use powder only when the material is highly reflective.
Ortho scan
Full-arch buccal and occlusal passes matter more than margin detail. Capture the buccal vestibule — model builders need it for set-up.
Cut failures by half
| Failure | Fix |
|---|---|
| Tracking loss | Slow, overlapping passes; avoid glare |
| Missed margin | Direct the tip at 45° to the prep |
The Scanning Series pairs AI-assisted tracking with open export for both paths.
Scanning a combined case
- Isolate: retraction cord first, then a light air dry — moisture is the number-one error source.
- Scan the prep from the margin up; two sweeps minimum.
- Add a buccal bite-registration scan for the ortho portion.
- Export as STEP plus STL; STEP preserves the model for the ortho software.
Common error sources
Air ejections, reflective dry enamel, and a moving tongue each add 30–50 µm. A 30 s pause before the final sweep clears artefacts.