Implant workflow
Custom abutment design: what library details should you send?
A scanbody image and a broad implant brand name may leave important questions unanswered. Identify the intended component workflow before the case moves between designer, lab and manufacturing partner.
The short answer
Provide the exact implant platform, scanbody identity, intended component and applicable CAD library details. Confirm the proposed workflow with the lab and component or manufacturing provider. When a crown and abutment are designed together but made separately, keep the files, reference versions and approval responsibilities coordinated.
Which details identify the intended component?
exocad’s library documentation distinguishes manufacturers, component types and connection types. Those distinctions are a useful reminder to send precise identifiers instead of choosing a visually similar library entry.
- Record manufacturer, implant system/platform and component article numbers when available.
- Identify the scanbody and the intended base, blank or component route.
- State CAD software/build and the specific library information supplied by the component provider.
How do you coordinate an abutment and its crown?
The downstream teams need to know which files belong together. Discuss the coordinated design and output requirements before separate manufacturing steps are arranged. Similar filenames do not establish a matched deliverable set.
- Use one case reference and clearly identify paired components.
- Confirm which team reviews the component selection and intended production route.
- Record the accepted design revision and required separate outputs.
What should be resolved before accepting the handoff?
Missing component identifiers should become a specific question to the lab, not a guessed selection. The responsible team should confirm that the intended library and production route match the components actually being used.
- Resolve uncertain scanbody or platform information with the source team.
- Confirm requested deliverables and the receiver’s compatibility requirements.
- Keep approval and any subsequent component changes in the case record.
Frequently asked questions
Is the implant brand alone enough for a custom abutment brief?
Usually the brief needs more detail, including the relevant platform, scanbody and intended component or library. Ask the responsible lab or component provider to confirm precise identifiers.
Can the crown and custom abutment be manufactured by different suppliers?
A coordinated workflow may use separate production partners, but file pairing, component compatibility, accepted versions and each partner’s requirements must be confirmed before production.
Does CAD outsourcing include choosing implant positions?
This guide concerns restorative CAD handoff. The clinical plan and approval come from the responsible dental team; Mocoore reviews the requested restorative design scope.
