The update will enhance the existing features, and add a number of new tools to provide the customers with more functions for analytics. Some of the upgrades include:

• individual teeth and cross sections measurements
• parabolic measurements for full arches
• enhanced support for virtual bases editing with the most common standards (ABO, Rickets, Parallel, Tweed)
• Ipad viewer

In addition, for the current fall season, 3dO Medical IT announces their new Pay-As-You-Go pricing program to focus on providing their customers with the most flexible and affordable solutions and helping them incorporate the newest CAD/CAM technologies into their practices.

Digital images are considered private dental records transfered over public network and it is very important to ensure security of transmission as well as a quality of forwarding information. When choosing the transmission method a special attention should be paid to the following issues:

1. Security of patient records,
2. Speed of large file transfer,
3. Cost of network bandwidth,
4. Reliability of information transferred

Lets review strength and weaknesses of the transfer methods which are available to laboratory today:

* Email attachments.
* FTP Services
* 3dO Collaboration Services

Email attachments are easy to use, but they are not always reliable since they do not handle well large files. Besides attaching file takes time and may be interrupted due to network or computer problems.
Upload timing issue persists with FTP services too and in addition they are often target for unauthorized security attacks. Also FTP service do not provide an easy identifier of file belonging to one or another customer.

3dO Collaboration Services provide crown and bridge laboratory with the ability to follow familiar process of filling up the prescription form, attaching model, pictures or any other instructions to it and “shipping” it to milling center.

Ortho labs transfer file utilizing 3dOFolders – scheduled service, which transfers files to orthodontists seamlessly overnight. 3dOFolders makes laboratory and dental offices fill like they are located at the same place.

File “Receiving” is actually scheduled process which happens at night and does not require human supervision. The files are transferred over secured network to milling center or orthodontists where they are sorted and presented to the operator together with the prescription.

3dO Collaboration services combine email easiness of use with FTP speed providing additional services such as security encryption and transfer scheduling.

However study models because they are cast in plaster have a number of the following issues:

• storage and retrieval;
• diagnostic versatility;
• transferability;
• durability.

Since early 2000 number of large companies such as CADent, Digidigm, Orthoplex and others have been offering Study Model Digitizing services to orthodontists.  Their services are designed to resolve issues identified above with physical study models.  Unfortunately, these services are all proprietary, basically locking their users to one provider.  And what is more troubling that they are designed to reduce the role of the smaller lab in the treatment development process.

However, the same service offered by local laboratories can prove to be more beneficial more cost effective to dentists and even accelerate rate of acceptance of digital technology among them.

Digital models have all the advantages of plaster models, apart from being able to hold the casts ‘in your hand’ and provides the clinician with a bit more:

• a simpler and more effective method of measuring and storing data taken from the ‘virtual’ model;
• simpler storage and integration into the patients ‘digital’ file, along with the digital photographs, x-rays and clinical notes;
• simpler retrieval and viewing along with the patients other clinical data—especially at the chairside;
• easy transferral to others in the patient’s healthcare circle via prints or email attachment.
• faster turnaround
• Open architecture

The process of study model production will work the following path:

1. Impressions are made by the Dentist and picked up by his/her original laboratory
2. Laboratory creates Digital Study models utilizing 3D Scanner and Ortho software.
3. Overnight digital models are uploaded from Laboratory PC to Dental Clinic utilizing Secure File Transfer Services
4. Orthodontist reviews models, and demonstrates them to the patient as required.
5. Digital models are retained by File Transfer service provider for necessary number of years. Backup copies are delivered to dental clinic on periodic basis.
6. If the need of model reproduction ever arises then models are milled or printed using STL technology.

3dO Medical IT can enable ortho laboratories to provide study model digitizing services by supplying them with necessary hardware and software. In addition 3dO teams up with laboratory to delivery necessary IT support and training to dental office related to diagnostic software, file transfer, and backup.

Please email us at info@3do.ca for more information.

References: http://jorthod.maneyjournals.org/cgi/content/full/31/4/344

In the evening we could not miss to attend to our favorite jazz bar – Andy’s. We were lucky Von Freeman quintet performed on Saturday night.

If only each trip was this good.

3dO File Transfer and Archiving services provide secure and easy method to send, receive and archive digital dental models. Our services are designed to improve communication between dental laboratories and dentists as well as providing doctors with searchable on-line storage of dental models.

3dO Medical IT has reached an agreement with Solutionix Corp of South Korea to become an official North American distributor and service center of Solutionix Dental Scanners.

The open-architecture Solutionix Rexcan DS2 provides high-precision scanning by white light measurement technology, enhanced through fast and easy process of computerized automation. DS2 quality and pricing makes in-house design of crowns, bridges, anatomic inlays, custom abutment and implants available to every laboratory. DS2 produces an industry-standard output file format, enabling laboratory owners to choose the most suitable milling center for its manufacturing needs.

“This high-quality yet affordable system is the perfect fit to our all-encompassing architecture of dental CAD/CAM components” said 3dO General Manager Eugene Mirkin.

For additional information, contact 3dO Medical IT at 877-482-7904 or info@3do.ca

Reference to the the source at Dental Products Review : http://www.dentalproductsreport.com/articles/show/dlp0110_news-3dO