Digital workflows in dentistry are transforming clinical practices, offering unprecedented precision, efficiency, and patient satisfaction. Among the most significant advancements is the application of fully guided digital systems for full-arch rehabilitation. This case report explores a successful full-arch restoration performed using Smilecloud, a state-of-the-art smile design and collaboration platform that exemplifies the power of digital dentistry.
The Role of Smilecloud in Modern Dentistry
Smilecloud represents a milestone in dental technology, seamlessly integrating communication among clinicians, patients, and dental laboratories. By harnessing advanced digital tools, Smilecloud streamlines diagnosis, treatment planning, and execution, creating a cohesive and collaborative process. This not only enhances clinical results but also elevates the patient experience.
Patients benefit from immersive visual engagement, as Smilecloud enables them to envision treatment outcomes through realistic digital simulations. At our practice, this approach has significantly increased case acceptance by aligning patient expectations with achievable clinical results.
Clinical Case: Full-Arch Rehabilitation
Initial Assessment
A 65-year-old male patient, generally healthy aside from smoking ten cigarettes daily, sought a maxillary fixed restoration to replace his removable partial denture. His goals included achieving a natural-looking smile with improved stability and function.
Clinical examination revealed:
- Extra-oral: Medium smile line, no abnormalities.
- Intra-oral: A fixed bridge from teeth #23–26 anchoring a removable metal partial denture, with healed ridges where teeth #22–17 had been extracted. No inflammation, plaque, or significant lesions were present, although mild to moderate attachment loss was observed.
- Radiographic Analysis: Adequate vertical and horizontal bone structure, no need for guided bone regeneration.
Using Smilecloud, various treatment scenarios were visualized and presented to the patient, ensuring clear communication and informed decision-making.
Treatment Plan
The Straumann Pro Arch approach was chosen, involving the immediate placement of six Straumann BLX implants. This method, performed after atraumatic extractions, included the placement of a provisional prosthesis on the same day.
Procedure and Follow-Up
The surgery proceeded smoothly, with excellent healing and no postoperative complications observed during follow-up visits. Four months later, clinical and radiographic evidence confirmed osseointegration, allowing progression to the final prosthetic phase.
Using a fully digital workflow:
Scans: Intra-oral scans of the opposite arch, soft tissue, and provisional prosthesis were taken.
Design and Manufacturing: A prototype and verification jig were created and milled.
Fitting and Finalization: The prototype was tried in, and the final prosthesis—a monolithic zirconia restoration with Variobase abutments—was designed, manufactured, and delivered.
Outcomes and Long-Term Results
The final prosthesis was verified for aesthetics, occlusion, and functionality, with radiographic evaluations confirming success. At the 18-month follow-up, intra-oral and extra-oral assessments showed no pathologies, and the patient remained highly satisfied with the stable, aesthetic results.
The patient commented, “Seeing my new smile before starting the procedure was a game-changer. I was confident from the beginning that my final result would be as I had imagined.”
This case underscores the transformative impact of digital workflows in dentistry. By integrating Smilecloud into the treatment process, clinicians can achieve superior outcomes and foster a more engaging, patient-centered experience. The demonstrated success highlights the potential for fully guided systems to set new standards in restorative dentistry, combining clinical excellence with patient satisfaction.
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