Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDental implant photogrammetry requires a compatible capture system, coded implant markers or transfers, and capture software. It records implant positions and angulations—not the full soft-tissue surface—so a complete digital model also needs soft-tissue data from an intraoral scanner or a digitized conventional impression, followed by alignment in dental CAD software.
What equipment does an implant photogrammetry workflow need?
The core setup has four parts: a photogrammetry capture device, compatible coded markers, a way to capture soft-tissue geometry, and software to process and combine the files. Some clinics already own the intraoral scanner and CAD software needed for the latter stages.
- Capture device: a dedicated extraoral photogrammetry system or, for a supported workflow, a compatible smartphone.
- Coded implant markers: system-compatible transfers or scan bodies attached to the implants or abutments.
- Soft-tissue capture: an intraoral scanner, or a conventional impression that is digitized.
- Software: capture software and dental CAD software that can align the implant-position and soft-tissue datasets.
How the equipment fits together
1. Capture implant positions with a dedicated camera or supported phone
A dedicated extraoral camera photographs coded markers from multiple views around the arch. The ITI clinical workflow guide describes this approach and names PIC and iCam4D as examples of photogrammetry systems: ITI clinical workflow guide. PIC offers Gravity, System, and Station form factors; the company says they use the same key elements. The practical difference to investigate is how each form factor fits your space, portability needs, and case workflow, rather than assuming a different form factor changes the captured data.
A smartphone workflow is another option. PIC describes its PIC app as smartphone-based photogrammetry and lists compatible iPhone Pro models: 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max. The list can change, so verify that your exact phone is currently supported on the PIC app page before buying. PIC says the app requires an iPhone and PIC transfers; that is the vendor’s description of its own workflow, not independent verification that it needs no other equipment in every clinic setup.
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2. Attach markers that the selected system can identify
Coded transfers or scan bodies are physical components attached to the implant platform or abutment. Their geometry and coded pattern let the selected camera and software identify implant positions. PIC calls its markers PIC transfers and describes them as coded 3D abutments; the ITI guide likewise explains the role of coded scan-body geometry.
Do not select markers by appearance alone or assume that one system’s markers work with another. Before ordering, confirm the implant manufacturer and platform, connection level (including bone-level or tissue-level), whether the case uses an abutment-level workflow, the required marker library, and compatibility with the specific capture system and CAD chain. PIC says its transfers cover thousands of platforms and allow mixed platforms, but those are vendor claims; check compatibility for each planned case directly with the vendor.
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3. Capture soft tissue separately
The implant-position file does not provide the complete soft-tissue surface. In PIC’s described workflow, the operator captures that surface with an intraoral scanner or takes a conventional impression and digitizes it. The workflow identifies scan bodies, healing caps, transepithelial abutments, or implant platforms as possible shared landmarks for aligning the datasets.
That makes an intraoral scanner complementary to photogrammetry, not a replacement for the described capture of interrelated implant positions. If the practice does not have an intraoral scanner, an impression-and-digitization workflow is another route to soft-tissue geometry.
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4. Process files and align them in dental CAD
PIC describes using PIC suite software to capture marker images and create a PIC file exported as an STL containing marker geometry for alignment. The implant-position data is then aligned with the soft-tissue dataset in dental CAD; PIC names exocad and 3Shape as examples. Check the actual scanner exports, marker libraries, file handling, CAD versions, and lab handoff together before committing to a system. The vendor’s workflow is described at PIC dental technology.
Choose between a dedicated system, phone workflow, or another system
| Buying path | What it involves | Questions to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated extraoral photogrammetry | Camera/system, coded markers, and capture software. PIC offers Gravity, System, and Station form factors; the ITI workflow guide also names PIC and iCam4D. | How many cases will you capture? Do you need a portable unit, a fixed station, or an all-in-one form factor? Which platforms and marker libraries are supported? What are the purchase, service, and training costs? |
| Smartphone-based photogrammetry | PIC app, a supported iPhone, and PIC transfers, according to PIC. | Is your exact phone model supported? Does the payment model suit your case volume? Are the markers and file workflow accepted by your CAD and lab chain? |
| Other dedicated systems | iCam4D is named in the ITI workflow guide and was included alongside PIC in a comparative in-vitro study. | Verify current models, marker availability, software, support, and CAD workflow with the vendor. Do not assume coded markers interchange across systems. |
The app’s current compatibility list is on PIC’s app page. For other systems, verify the current offering directly; the available study does not establish present-day model availability or support terms.
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What the accuracy evidence can—and cannot—tell you
An open-access in-vitro study compared conventional splinted open-tray impressions, intraoral scanning, and photogrammetry using PIC and iCam4D. Its methods describe system-specific scan bodies and camera setup. It shows that these acquisition approaches have been compared in a laboratory setting, but it does not establish a universal clinical winner or prove superior patient outcomes. See the BMC Oral Health study.
PIC publishes two different precision or accuracy statements: “6 microns” on its product page and “<4 microns” on its workflow page. Both refer to controlled light, temperature, and humidity conditions, and the pages do not reconcile the different wording or measures. Treat these as separate vendor claims, not directly comparable results or a guaranteed clinical outcome. PIC also says its system has been used for over 2 million full-arch cases since 2010 in over 55 countries and that more than 70 scientific studies validate its clinical precision; these are vendor-published figures, not independently audited statistics. The company attributes a passive-fit threshold below 100 microns to a 2017 systematic review, but that review is not linked here for direct verification. Those figures should not substitute for checking compatibility and workflow fit.
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Buying checklist
- List the implant platforms and connection levels in the cases you expect to treat.
- Confirm marker or transfer availability for every platform and compatibility with the exact capture system.
- Estimate case volume and decide whether a dedicated camera or phone-based workflow better suits the practice.
- If considering the PIC app, confirm the exact iPhone model against the current compatibility list.
- Plan how soft tissue will be captured: intraoral scanning or impression followed by digitization.
- Test export formats, marker libraries, CAD alignment, and lab handoff across the actual software versions in use.
- Compare total cost, portability, throughput, training, service, and regional availability; prices and marketplace availability are not established by the sources cited here.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
