Benefits of the iCam
The iCam is revolutionizing the workflow for multi-implant restorations. This exciting new technology has tremendous benefits for the patient and all parties involved from dentist to production. The ICam technology reduces chair-time, the number of visits, and it eliminates significant hardware, personnel and production costs. lt is the only technology that guarantees predictable and accurate results independent of the operator.
Chair-side
The complex task of taking an impression for a multi-implant structure is reduced to just a few minutes when including the insertion and removal of the ICamBodies.
This results in:
- Large savings in valuable chair time due to the easy placement of the ICamBodies and the rapid measurements with the ICam.
- Predictable outcome as the result is independent of the skill Level of the user.
- Elimination of costs for materials for taking the impression for multi-implants.
- No re-tries as the first part will have a perfect fit.
Patient
The advantages for the patient include:
- No stress due to the taking of the impressions. The insertion of the ICamBodies and the capture of the gingiva are rapid and comfortable compared to taking an implant impression.
- The measurements can be performed with a lip extractor only. For the upper arch the mouth must be opened slightly and for the lower arch the mouth can be measured in the rest position. Thus there is no need to open the mouth to extreme positions as with intra-oral scanners.
- The technology eliminates try-ins as the part will fit perfectly.
- Improved comfort of the patient due to the quality of the fit of the final restoration.
- Possibility of much shorter treatment times as early load protocols are much more feasible with the ICam.
Laboratory
The work for the laboratory and/or dental technician is greatly reduced.
The advantages include:
- No need for a stressful rapid production of models with gingiva mask and implant analogs.
- No need to scan complex implant models.
Technology
The ICam is a hand held “camera unit” consisting of four cameras and one projector. lt combines photogrammetric and structured Light scanning techniques to capture 3D data. lt uses the ICamBodies, high precision mechanical parts with a unique proprietary target arrangement, to determine the position and orientation of implants. The position and orientation computed for one implant is called an “ICamPosition”. The ICamBodies are replaced by Imetric at regular intervals to assure that they always meet the necessary precision requirements.
Another component of the ICam technology are the ICamRefs. These are similar to healing abutments and in fact it is possible to use healing abutments instead of the ICamRefs. The smaller size of the ICamRefs makes it much simpler to take an impression of the gingiva or to scan the ICamRefs and gingiva with an intra-oral scanner. The software of the ICam then allows the user to transform the ICamPositions into the coordinate system of the gingiva using the ICamRefs. This is done with a few simple clicks.
Key aspects in the development of the ICam system were:
- To make the ICamBodies very small, easy to handle, and easy to disinfect.
- To make the measurements completely independent of the operator.
- To make both the ICamBodies and the measurement as precise as technically necessary to assure a perfect fit.
- To make the capture of the gingiva as simple as possible.