Advanced options

Changing a finished construction

In some cases, you may still want to change a construction even when the wizard has already finished. You have two options to do this:

a) Freeforming on the finished mesh (the "merged part" that was created in the final wizard step). This option is available in the context menu once you have finished constructing a bridge with the wizard.

b) Editing individual parts (e.g. changing a preparation margin, adding or removing connectors). This requires the "merged part" to be deleted first.

Option a): Freeforming merged construction

Right-click on the background once the wizard has closed. Select "Freeform merged reconstruction". You may now freeform on the entire bridge.

This freeforming mode allows you to make connectors thinner than specified. Therefore, it is recommended to check connector thickness using the "Visualize connector thickness" button in the "Free" tab. Add material to increase connector thickness if the thickness visualization contains magenta color.

Freeforming the merged construction works best if the output mesh has been optimized for selective laser melting. Otherwise, gaps between around the connectors may appear during the freeforming process. To switch from milling output to SLM output, use the context menu and select "Save Restorations", then "Remove existing merged parts"; check "Optimize for Selective Laser Melting", then click "Restart merging".

As soon as you click "OK" in the "Freeform merged" dialog, the software will ask you whether you'd like to save your changes.

Option b): Editing individual parts

To unlock the options for editing individual parts, right-click on the background, and chose "Delete constructed parts" in the context menu. Make sure "Merged parts" is selected in the drop-down box, and click OK.

Note: If parts your constructions appear to be gone now, don't worry – they're just hidden; use the "Show/hide groups" to make them visible again.

The context menu will now contain additional options, e.g. the tooth-specific context menu for crowns/copings will contain the option to edit the preparation margin. When done editing, select "Save restorations" from the context menu to save your changes.

Measuring thicknesses or distances

You may measure thickness or distance on the mesh using the "Space ruler", which is available through the context menu ("View → Space Ruler"). In some cases, you may want to switch an anatomic part to reduced, to allow shrinking – or vice versa. E.g. you may have constructed a temporary bridge (plastic material) in full anatomic shape, and later on you wish to load the scene and shrink the construction. To toggle between "full anatomic" and "reduced" (e.g. switch a tooth that you have marked as "Anatomic Pontic" in the DentalDB to 'Reduced Pontic"), use "View → Change reconstruction types" in the context menu.

Toggling between full anatomic and reduced reconstructions

In some cases, you may want to switch an anatomic part to reduced, to allow shrinking – or vice versa. E.g. you may have constructed a temporary bridge (plastic material) in full anatomic shape, and later on you wish to load the scene and shrink the construction. To toggle between "full anatomic" and "reduced" (e.g. switch a tooth that you have marked as "Anatomic Pontic" in the DentalDB to "Reduced Pontic"), use "View → Change reconstruction types" in the context menu.

Mesh registration

A mesh registration tool, which allows 3-point registration and best fit matching, is available ("View → Register Meshes").

This is useful for positioning situation model scans, if they haven't already been correctly positioned by the scanner software.

Finishing the CAD process; saving and restoring "scenes"

When finished with the CAD design, simply close the CAD window. You will be prompted to save the "scene". This allows you to restore the current state of the CAD module at a later point, including the possibility to perform additional modifications. When you save a scene in the project folder, the next time you start the CAD for this job, you are asked if you'd like to load the scene, or restart construction from scratch. You may also save the scene without closing the CAD window, of course – simply use the context menu, or the "Save" button. Scenes should be saved when the wizard is closed and no editing dialogs are open.