- Edentulous Scan Strategy

📌 Preparation Before Edentulous Scan 

Proper preparation and a correct scanning strategy are essential for obtaining accurate edentulous scan data.

Before scanning, review the related articles and information below to check the necessary preparation requirements.

1. Preparing The Right Tip 

Small tip	Middle tip	Large tip
It is not recommended for edentulous scanning methods.	Applied selectively when the mouth opening is limited.	It secures a wide capture range, enabling more efficient data acquisition.

2. Placement Of A Retractor 

• Use a mouth opener (e.g., OptraGate) to ensure soft tissue does not obstruct the scanning area.
• Sufficiently retract the buccal mucosa to prevent it from obscuring the MUA or exostosis.
   

3. Check MUA Status 

• Ensure the MUA is fully seated.
• Check for any pooling of saliva or blood around the MUA.
• Ensure a clear view of the MUA's upper profile so it is not obstructed.

Bleeding can prevent a successful scan
(especially in cases of immediate placement following extraction).
Blood must be removed from the scan area using a metal suction tip or gauze.
(It is advantageous to control bleeding in the area to be scanned next as you proceed with the scan.)

📌Scanning Strategy For Edentulous Maxilla 

• Begin scanning slowly along the alveolar ridge, starting from the maxillary tuberosity area.
• Then, continue scanning by smoothly transitioning to the adjacent MUA.
• Ensure that at least 80% of the MUA geometry is captured, including sufficient coverage of the buccal and palatal aspects.
  - Capturing sufficient MUA geometry facilitates subsequent scan data alignment and implant position verification.
• Move the scanner to transition smoothly from the alveolar ridge toward the palatal area, maintaining an overlap with the previously captured data to ensure continuity.
• Gradually expand the scanning area outward from the alveolar ridge to ensure the entire palatal dataset is connected seamlessly.

- If the center of the palate is not scanned:

• After scanning the MUA, scan the palatal rugae first.
• Begin scanning near the posterior MUA and move toward the center of the palate.
• Scan the left and right sides of the posterior palate separately, then connect the scan paths toward the center.
• Ensure sufficient overlap so that the data scanned from both sides connects seamlessly.
   

📌Scanning Strategy For Edentulous Mandible 

• Slowly scan along the alveolar ridge, starting from the retromolar triangle.
• Then, seamlessly transition to scan the adjacent MUA.
• Ensure that at least 80% of the MUA geometry is captured, while also sufficiently including the buccal and lingual aspects.

- Precautions for scanning the edentulous mandible:

• In mandibular cases, tongue movement can obstruct the scanning area.

• If the tongue blocks the scanning area or there is excessive saliva accumulation,
  do not force the scan; instead, reposition the tongue and rescan the area.

   

Tongue Retraction
Lower your tongue.	Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth.

• When scanning the lingual aspect of the posterior teeth,
  gently press the tongue with the scanner tip while scanning.
• If the tongue exerts strong pressure, you may use a mirror or a suction tip instead.

📌Based On Scan Completion 

After the scan is complete, check the data in the up, down, left, and right directions.