All scans should begin from the occlusal surface of the teeth.
When scanning the anterior teeth, move the scanner in a zigzag motion, alternating between the labial and lingual surfaces to capture the area from multiple angles.
For single crowns or inlay/onlay cases, a half-arch scan is sufficient to obtain all necessary data for prosthesis fabrication. In these cases, perform the occlusion scan within the same half-arch.
Half-arch scanning begins with the occlusal surface, progressing to the lingual and buccal surfaces.
Keep each scanning stage under 1 minute.
▶️FREEDOM i Half-Arch Scanning Video
2. Full-Arch Scan Strategy
For bridge, pre-end, or occlusion cases, a full-arch scan is required to capture complete arch data. IIn these cases, the occlusion scan must be performed twice to obtain both right and left bite information.
Full-arch scanning should begin with the occlusal surface, then continue with the lingual and buccal surfaces.
When scanning the anterior teeth, move the scanner in a zigzag motion, alternating between the labial and lingual surfaces to capture the area from multiple angles.
Keep each scanning stage under 2 minutes and 30.
- Maxillary Full-Arch Scan:
Follow the scanning strategy to complete the maxillary full-arch scan.
If scanning the buccal surface in one direction is difficult, start from the opposite occlusal surface and proceed along the buccal side, dividing the scan into two parts.
▶️FREEDOM i Maxillary Full-Arch Scanning Video
- Mandibular Full-Arch Scan:
Follow the scanning strategy to complete the mandibular full-arch scan.
Since saliva control is more difficult in the mandible than in the maxilla, it is recommended to scan the lingual surface first after completing the occlusal surface scan.
▶️FREEDOM i Mandibular Full-Arch Scanning Video
3. Occlusion Scan Strategy
- Patient Position:
Occlusion scanning must be performed while the patient is in centric occlusion.
To obtain accurate occlusal data, the patient should be in a sitting position, not lying down.
- Preparation Before Occlusion Scanning:
Ask the patient to open their mouth, then position the scanner on the buccal side.
Have the patient close into occlusion several times to check the centric bite position in advance.
Review the buccal surface data of both the maxilla and mandible before starting the occlusion scan. - If buccal data are insufficient or excess soft tissue is present, the occlusion may not align correctly. - If there are holes or missing data, perform additional scans. - Delete unnecessary soft-tissue data before proceeding with the occlusion scan.
- Half-Arch Occlusion Scan:
Scan 4 to 6 teeth starting from the terminal molar, excluding the wisdom tooth.
Move the scanner up and down while rotating, ensuring that both the teeth and surrounding gingiva are captured.
When the software displays a message indicating that occlusion alignment is complete, end the scan. - However, if the alignment is not yet accurate even after the message appears, continue scanning for an additional 2–3 seconds before stopping.
Occlusion scanning must be performed only within the corresponding half-arch range.
- Full-Arch Occlusion Scan:
For full-arch occlusion scans, both the right and left posterior regions must be scanned.
Divide the right and left posterior regions and perform the occlusion scan for each side.
Scan 4 to 6 teeth starting from the terminal molar, excluding the wisdom tooth.
Move the scanner up and down while rotating, ensuring that both the teeth and surrounding gingiva are captured.
When the software displays a message indicating that occlusion alignment is complete, end the scan. - However, if the alignment is not yet accurate even after the message appears, continue scanning for an additional 2–3 seconds before stopping.
- Free-End Occlusion Scan:
In free-end cases (where the most distal molars are missing), occlusal data must be acquired from both sides.
After completing the full-arch scan, perform occlusion scans on both the right and left sides.
Divide the right and left posterior regions and perform the occlusion scan for each side.
Start scanning from the area where teeth are present, and move the scanner up and down toward the distal end to include the edentulous region.
▶️FREEDOM i Free-End Occulusion Scanning Video
⚠️Precautions During Occlusion Scanning⚠️
Accurate occlusal data cannot be obtained if the patient moves their teeth during scanning.
- Ensure the patient maintains a stable centric occlusion throughout the scan.
For full-arch occlusion scans, divide the right and left posterior regions and perform the occlusion scan for each side.
- Do not scan continuously through the anterior region. - Scanning the anterior region in a single pass may result in inaccurate occlusion data.
Always scan both side posterior regions when performing a full-arch occlusion scan.
- Scanning only one side may lead to inaccurate occlusion data.
Before performing the occlusion scan, have the patient open their mouth and position the scanner on the buccal side.
- If the scanner is positioned on the buccal side while the patient is in occlusion, unnecessary areas such as the lips or cheeks may be captured, resulting in inaccurate occlusion data.
