Identify the system
Brand, exact implant system and precise prosthetic platform.
Provisional abutments · digital workflow
From the scan body used clinically to a precisely prepared provisional restoration.
Integrate the provisional restoration into the digital workflowIPD Solutions Map · clinic ↔ laboratoryA provisional abutment is not an isolated component in a CAD workflow. The implant system, platform, scan body actually used, TECH or LITE library branch, -06/-07 indication and selected HIGH, MID or LOW cementation height must all correspond.
Workflow
Eight checkpoints before STL production
The most common error occurs when the physical component and digital library are treated as separate systems. A correct workflow keeps the entire chain consistent.
Identify the scan body used
The laboratory must know which scan body was actually present in the mouth or model during acquisition.
Choose TECH or LITE
TECH follows IPD scan-body geometry; LITE follows explicitly supported OEM or third-party scan-body geometry.
Select the indication
A single crown, bridge or multi-unit provisional restoration determines the indexing requirement.
Choose -06 / -07
-06 is indexed for crown indications; -07 is non-indexed for bridge indications.
Choose HIGH / MID / LOW
This is the library cementation height, not the gingival height.
Design the restoration
The library defines the seating and support geometry for the crown or bridge.
Match the physical height
If necessary, shorten the physical provisional abutment to the same height selected in the library.
Indexing and indication
-06 and -07 may look similar, but they are not the same option.
Indexed crown option
The anti-rotational geometry is intended for situations in which both CAD and the physical component must preserve a specific rotational orientation. A typical example is a single crown.
Non-indexed bridge option
The rotationally free option is intended for multi-unit restorations where a common path of insertion across multiple implants or abutments is the priority.
Practical example:Straumann SRA Ø4.6 is listed in the IPD catalogue with IPD/DD-PR-06 and IPD/DD-PR-07 options. The same product family is also listed as Temporary abutment / Open tray coping, meaning that depending on the screw used, the component can serve as a provisional abutment or as an open-tray impression coping.
Cementation height
HIGH / MID / LOW: the digital selection must match the physical component.
The provisional-abutment library provides three cementation heights. The selected level determines where the software prepares the restoration interface. When MID or LOW is selected, the physical abutment must therefore be shortened to the corresponding level if required.
Full available height
Suitable where sufficient occlusal space is available and a taller retentive surface is desirable.
Medium height
A compromise between retentive surface area and available space. The physical component is adjusted to the selected library level.
Lowest library height
For limited vertical space. It requires careful agreement between the virtual component and the component actually shortened physically.
Do not confuse with:HIGH / MID / LOW defines the cementation height above the interface. It is not the same as the catalogue gingival height of the component.
CAD software
The same principle, with different navigation in Exocad and 3Shape.
| Step | Exocad | 3Shape |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · find the library | Selection is organized by connection and platform diameter. | Selection is organized by brand and connection. |
| 2 · assign the scan | Select the exact corresponding Scan Body. | Select the exact corresponding Scan Body. |
| 3 · select the component | Crown or bridge option according to the indication. | Crown or bridge option according to the indication. |
| 4 · select the height | HIGH / MID / LOW. | HIGH / MID / LOW. |
| 5 · design | Continue with standard implant-restoration design and STL export. | Continue with standard implant-restoration design and STL export. |
LITE workflow and supported OEM scan bodies
If the clinical scan was acquired with a scan body explicitly included in the LITE library, the laboratory can continue to an IPD component without replacing the acquisition geometry with another scan body. What matters is the exact match between the scan body, platform and target component.
(IPD Lite) STR SRA 4.6 → select the Scan Body actually used → Non-ENG_IPD → (Tmp) IPD/DD-PR-07 → HIGH / MID / LOW → CAD design and STL
Common questions
What to verify before clicking “Design”
What do HIGH, MID and LOW mean in the provisional-abutment library?
They are three library cementation heights above the prosthetic interface. They do not represent the gingival height of the abutment. If MID or LOW is selected, the physical provisional abutment is shortened to the corresponding level according to the instructions before being joined to the designed restoration.
What is the difference between the -06 and -07 options?
In IPD catalogue logic, -06 is the indexed option for a single crown and -07 is the non-indexed option for a bridge or multi-unit indication. Always verify the exact platform and current catalogue or library.
Can an IPD provisional abutment be used if the clinician scanned with an OEM scan body?
Yes, but only if the exact scan body used is explicitly supported in the corresponding IPD LITE library for that system, platform and target component. The CAD software must use the exact scan body that was physically used during scanning.
Must the case be rescanned with an IPD scan body after the scan is received?
Not automatically. If the selected LITE library supports the original scan body and target provisional abutment, the laboratory can continue from the existing data. If the scan body is not supported by the library, its geometry must not be substituted simply because another scan body looks similar.
How is the provisional-abutment library selected in Exocad and 3Shape?
In Exocad, the workflow is organized by connection and platform diameter, followed by scan-body and cementation-height selection. In 3Shape, selection is organized by brand and connection, followed by the scan body and cementation height.
Can an IPD provisional abutment also serve as an impression coping?
For product families listed in the catalogue as Temporary abutment / Open tray coping, the same component can serve as a provisional abutment with the occlusal screw and as an open-tray impression coping with the long coping screw.
What must the laboratory verify before producing the STL?
The system and platform, scanning level, scan body actually used, correct TECH or LITE branch, crown versus bridge indication, corresponding -06 or -07 option, selected HIGH/MID/LOW height and physical agreement between the component and the design.
Next verification step
Not sure which library to use?
Send the system and platform, a screenshot or reference of the scan body used, CAD software, intended indication and provisional-abutment reference. We will help verify the correct library branch before design.