Editorial Type:
Article Category: Case Report
 | 
Online Publication Date: 13 Mar 2023

Enhanced Lip-Contour During Facial Scan for 3D DSD and Implant Planning: A Blue Screen Approach

DDS, PhD,
DDS,
DDS, MSc Dr med dent, FDSRCS, FRCDC,
SE, and
MS
Page Range: 3 – 7
DOI: 10.1563/aaid-joi-D-21-00211
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When obtaining 3-dimensional (3D) facial images for digital smile design (DSD) and dental implant planning, inaccuracies may frequently be introduced by distortion in the region between the lips' vermilion border and the teeth. The present clinical technique aimed to reduce such deformation during face scanning, thereby facilitating 3D DSD. This is also essential to plan bone reduction with precision for implant reconstructions. A custom-made silicone matrix acting as a blue screen provided reliable support for 3D visualization of facial images in a patient requiring a new maxillary screw-retained implant-supported fixed complete denture. Imperceptible volumetric changes were registered in the facial tissues when the silicone matrix was added. The usual deformation of the lip vermilion border originating in face scans was overcome by applying blue-screen technology with a silicone matrix. Reproducing the vermilion border of the lip contour accurately may offer improved communication and visualization for 3D DSD. The silicone matrix was a practical approach that acted as a blue screen to display the transition from lips to teeth with satisfactory precision. Implementing blue-screen technology in reconstructive dentistry might increase predictability by reducing errors when scanning objects with challenging-to-capture surfaces.

Figure 1.
Figure 1.

Intraoral scan. (a) Frontal view of digital scan of both arches. (b) Standard tessellation language file of the intraoral scans.


Figure 2.
Figure 2.

Customized silicone matrix. (a) Intraoral placement of silicone putty immediately after mixing. (b) Molded silicone aid after setting.


Figure 3.
Figure 3.

Preparation of tridimensional facial image. (a) Face in smiling position with silicone matrix. (b) Outline between vermilion border of lips and silicone matrix. (c) Removed visible silicone area.


Figure 4.
Figure 4.

Surface registration process. (a) Printed casts and facebow. (b) Joint dentition and facebow tridimensional objects. (c) Clinical view for face scan with silicone matrix and facebow in place. (d) facial and facebow tridimensional images. (e) Superimposition of dentition [file A] with tridimensional facial images [file C].


Figure 5.
Figure 5.

Comparative images. (a) Original tridimensional facial object. (b) Superimposition of orofacial tridimensional images. (c) Superimposition of tridimensional orofacial images with silicone matrix assistance. (d) Bidimensional facial image at a similar angle to the previous image.


Contributor Notes

Corresponding authors, e-mails: kelvin.afrashtehfar@unibe.ch and kqcadc@bjmu.edu.cn
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