Written by: Ryan Dunlop, CEO and Founder of Full Arch Masters and graduate from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Key Takeaways
- The FAM Method integrates photogrammetry, intraoral scanning, CBCT, facial records, exocad design, and in-office 3D printing into a repeatable sequence that delivers a passive-fit, screw-retained full-arch restoration in 2–4 hours.
- Seven structured steps, from 45–60 minute preoperative records through photogrammetry capture, CBCT merge, exocad design, and same-day PMMA hybrid delivery, create consistent accuracy and remove conventional impression errors.
- Delegating scan body placement, photogrammetry, IOS, and data handoff to trained assistants while the dentist verifies seating and approves plans increases throughput and can add $1M+ in annual practice revenue.
- Quality-control checkpoints such as radiographic seating verification, immediate IOS after photogrammetry, and Sheffield one-screw testing confirm passive fit without analog casts.
- Master the complete FAM Method workflow and scale your practice by registering for an upcoming Full Arch Masters course at Full Arch Masters.
Photogrammetry Capture Protocol: 7 Critical Checkpoints
This protocol fits inside the broader FAM Method and protects same-day passive-fit outcomes. Complete each checkpoint in sequence before you advance.
- Confirm implant healing is complete and peri-implant tissue is stable and mature before any scan body is seated.
- Select photogrammetry-compatible scan bodies matched to the implant system in use (e.g., iCam4D bodies for Neodent/Straumann platforms).
- Seat each scan body with firm finger pressure or a seating instrument, then verify no rocking, no tissue interference, and full engagement at the implant interface. Confirm seating radiographically if any doubt exists.
- Initiate photogrammetry capture immediately after scan body placement. Gingival tissues begin collapsing within minutes, which compromises soft-tissue contour data.
- Complete the full-arch photogrammetry sweep per system protocol (iCam4D or equivalent), and verify all scan body positions are registered before removing the device.
- Acquire a complementary intraoral scan (IOS) of the same arch to capture soft-tissue emergence profiles and mucosal contours. Photogrammetry cannot capture soft tissue and requires IOS integration for complete records.
- Merge photogrammetry and IOS datasets in the design software (exocad), and verify registration accuracy at shared reference points before you proceed to CBCT alignment.
This capture protocol runs during FAM Method Step 2, after preoperative records are complete. The seven FAM Method steps that structure the full workflow appear in the sections below.
Train your team on this exact capture sequence at an upcoming Full Arch Masters course.
FAM Method Step 1: Preoperative Records and Data Acquisition
45–60 minutes chairside | Roles: surgical assistant (records), dentist (verification)
The FAM Method starts with a structured records phase that runs 45–60 minutes and sits almost entirely with the trained surgical assistant, which preserves the dentist’s time for billable procedures. The assistant acquires the following in sequence:
- Full-arch intraoral scan of existing dentition or edentulous ridge
- Facial scan captured in rest, natural smile, and full retraction. Facial scans supply critical reference points for vertical dimension and facial support, particularly in edentulous patients.
- CBCT acquisition, with the patient in occlusion where applicable
- Photographic records (full-face, retracted, lateral)
After merging facial scan, CBCT, and intraoral data with AI segmentation in one platform, a single-click export delivers aligned files directly to the laboratory’s planning software. In the FAM Method, that software is exocad. The U.S. digital dentistry market is projected to grow from approximately $1.2 billion in 2025 to just over $1.6 billion by 2032, driven by accelerating adoption of CAD/CAM technologies, dental 3D printing, and AI integration. This trend means the infrastructure required for the FAM Method is already entering U.S. practices, so early adopters gain a timing advantage before the market saturates.
FAM Method Step 2: Photogrammetry and Intraoral Scanning
Photogrammetry scan bodies seating protocol | Roles: surgical assistant (scan body placement and photogrammetry), dentist (seating verification)
Photogrammetry forms the accuracy foundation of the FAM Method. Systematic reviews have examined the use of stereophotogrammetry for complete-arch implant impressions, and data from in vitro and in vivo research show that stereophotogrammetry can achieve high accuracy levels.
The FAM Method uses the iCam4D system (Imetric4D, sourced through Neodent). The seating protocol remains non-negotiable:
- Seat each scan body to full engagement. An incompletely seated scan body produces a restoration that will not fit regardless of scan quality.
- Verify passive fit by confirming the scan body screws in without resistance and shows no rocking.
- Capture photogrammetry immediately. Peri-implant mucosal collapse occurs rapidly, often within 20 seconds after removal of a healing abutment.
- Follow immediately with an IOS sweep to capture soft-tissue emergence profiles. Photogrammetry calculates implant positions via vector format but requires merging with IOS data to capture soft-tissue details.
Clinical studies have shown that stereophotogrammetry can remain accurate as the number of implants increases, which offers a clear advantage in full-arch cases. Photogrammetry alone, however, only captures implant positions and not bone volume, nerve proximity, or anatomical limits, so the next step merges this data with CBCT imaging.
FAM Method Step 3: CBCT Merge and Digital Treatment Planning
exocad alignment and virtual patient construction | Roles: lab technician (data merge and planning), dentist (plan approval)
CBCT and intraoral scan datasets are registered before implant planning begins. Registration error propagates into every subsequent stage of full-arch implant treatment, so the quality of this merge sets the ceiling for guide precision and prosthesis predictability.
In the FAM Method, the lab technician performs the merge in exocad (exoplan module), using radiopaque markers or matched reference points to align the CBCT volume with the IOS surface. When automatic alignment is imperfect at sites of missing teeth, the alignment is refined in edit mode by placing at least three corresponding points on both the CBCT volume and the intraoral scan surface. Photogrammetry data are then registered to this merged model, which completes the virtual patient for planning.
FAM Method Step 4: exocad Design for Immediate Load
30–45 minutes design window | Roles: lab technician (design), dentist (approval before print)
With the virtual patient constructed, the lab technician opens the merged dataset in exocad DentalCAD and designs the immediate-load prosthetic. The 30–45 minute design window becomes realistic only when records are clean, which is why Steps 1–3 remain non-negotiable.
Key design parameters include:
- Occlusal plane established from facial scan reference data
- Emergence profiles drawn from the merged IOS soft-tissue data
- Screw-access channel positioning verified against CBCT implant angulation
- Prosthetic contours reviewed and approved by the dentist before the file is sent to the printer
As part of the broader AI integration trend reshaping digital dentistry, CAD/CAM software is automating design steps and reducing technician workload, which compresses the design window for trained technicians. Once the dentist approves the design, the file is exported as an STL and queued for fabrication.
FAM Method Step 5: Immediate-Load Conversion and Same-Day Delivery
Same-day PMMA hybrid delivery in 2–4 hours | Roles: lab technician (print and post-process), surgical assistant (chairside prep)
The approved design file is sent to the in-office 3D printer. Printing and post-processing of the immediate-load conversion prosthetic on a validated resin printer takes 45–90 minutes in the FAM Method. The FAM Method uses validated PMMA-compatible resins on Envisiontec or DentaFab platforms. 3D-printed provisionals can be delivered as stable, functional restorations within hours of surgery, improving predictability, patient comfort, and simplifying prosthetic management during immediate loading.
While the print runs, the surgical assistant preps the arch for delivery by removing temporary healing abutments, irrigating the sites, and confirming tissue health. Once the print completes, the lab technician performs occlusal and contour adjustments, then hands the prosthetic to the dentist for chairside try-in. The finishing phase, including occlusion, contours, aesthetics adjustments, and chairside try-in, takes 30–45 minutes before final delivery. This sequence brings the total elapsed time from patient arrival to screw-retained delivery to 2–4 hours.
Ready to deliver same-day full-arch restorations? See upcoming course dates and register your team.
FAM Method Step 6: Final Zirconia Design and Finishing
Roles: lab technician (design and mill), dental aesthetic finisher (surface and layering)
After the immediate-load PMMA has been delivered and the patient has healed, the final zirconia prosthesis is designed from the same photogrammetry-derived implant position data, updated with any soft-tissue changes captured at the follow-up scan appointment. The FAM Method uses exocad DentalCAD for final zirconia design, with green-stage contouring and MIYO ceramic layering performed by the dental aesthetic finisher.
Digital Press Stereolithography overcomes conventional 3D printing limitations by increasing material density and enabling hybrid resins with up to 70% ceramic filler, producing definitive restorations with flexural strength and color stability comparable to milled zirconia or lithium disilicate. This technology now sits beside traditional milling as an emerging option for final-arch fabrication.
FAM Method Step 7: FP1 Design, Team Roles, and Workflow Scaling
iCam4D vs. PIC system full-arch accuracy | Roles: full team (implementation), lab technician (FP1 design variant)
FP1 prosthetics differ from FP2 and FP3 in case selection, root banking, surgical approach, and lab design, so the photogrammetry capture protocol must reflect these differences. The iCam4D (Imetric4D, distributed through Neodent) and the PIC system (PIC Dental) are the two most widely referenced photogrammetry platforms in U.S. full-arch workflows. Both use vector-based triangulation rather than image stitching, reducing progressive error accumulation over long spans with median 3D deviations of 25 µm in in vitro comparisons. A 2025 methodological review by Auduc et al. documented integration of ICAM 4D camera data with IOS, CBCT, facial scans, and a virtual facebow to enable fabrication of the final prosthesis, which mirrors the multimodal merge the FAM Method executes in exocad.
Workflow scaling depends on every team member owning a defined role, and those roles must interlock to create parallel workflows. The surgical assistant handles all records acquisition, including scan body placement, photogrammetry capture, IOS, and data handoff, which frees the dentist to focus on surgery. While the dentist operates, the lab technician merges the data, designs the prosthetic in exocad, and prepares the print file. The dentist re-enters the workflow only for seating verification, plan approval, and final delivery. Meanwhile, the treatment coordinator manages case scheduling, patient communication, and financing coordination, so the clinical team never waits on administrative tasks. This delegation model allows a single team to run multiple full-arch cases per week without the dentist’s chair time becoming the bottleneck. Alumni report adding $1M+ per year in practice revenue after adopting the FAM Method, driven by throughput rather than case fee alone.
Quality-Control Table: Passive-Fit Verification Without Analog Casts
The FAM Method replaces subjective “it feels right” checks with objective verification at four critical checkpoints. Use the table below as a quick reference for the pass criteria that protect passive fit without pouring an analog cast.
| Step | Metric | Pass Criterion | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scan body seating | Visual and tactile rocking test; radiographic confirmation if uncertain | No rocking, no tissue interference, full implant engagement confirmed (see seating protocol in Step 2) | Manalili, Glidewell Chairside |
| Photogrammetry trueness | RMS 3D deviation (in vivo, 4–6 implants) | Within clinical thresholds for passive fit | Jain et al., European Journal of Dentistry |
| IOS + photogrammetry merge | Registration deviation at shared reference points in exocad | Consistent surface-to-volume alignment; no visible offset at implant positions | PMC systematic review 2025 |
| Prosthetic passive fit at delivery | Sheffield one-screw test; no framework lift-off at unseated implants | Zero discrepancy at all implant interfaces when one screw is tightened sequentially | Clinical study on edentulous arches |
Common-Errors Table
The most frequent breakdowns in full-arch workflows cluster around a few predictable mistakes. The table below outlines those errors, their consequences, and the mitigation steps that keep your cases on track.
| Error Category | Common Mistake | Clinical Consequence | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scan body seating | Tissue interference preventing full seating; no radiographic verification | Restoration does not seat at delivery; remake required | Confirm seating radiographically when any doubt exists; verify no rocking before scanning |
| Soft-tissue emergence profile capture | Delayed IOS after scan body placement; standard cylindrical scan bodies used in posterior molar regions | Mucosal collapse within 20 seconds; circular soft-tissue contours and unfavorable emergence profiles | Capture IOS immediately after photogrammetry; consider anatomic or PEEK scan bodies for posterior sites |
| Occlusion integration | CBCT acquired without patient in occlusion; facial scan not merged before design | Vertical dimension error; occlusal plane discrepancy requiring chairside adjustment | Acquire CBCT in occlusion; merge facial scan before exocad design to establish correct vertical dimension reference |
Conclusion
Photogrammetry removes the stitching errors and analog distortion that make conventional full-arch impressions unpredictable. When the seven FAM Method steps are executed by a trained, delegated team, from the 45–60 minute records phase through photogrammetry capture, CBCT merge, exocad design, and in-office 3D printing, the result is a passive-fit, screw-retained full-arch restoration delivered in 2–4 hours.
The photogrammetry accuracy documented earlier in this article eliminates the distortion that undermines passive fit, and the clinical evidence base continues to strengthen. As that evidence grows, the FAM Method’s reliance on vector-based triangulation becomes even more defensible. Alumni who have operationalized this workflow report adding $1M+ per year in practice revenue, driven by higher weekly case volume at better margins with less chair time per arch.
The recipe now sits in front of you. The next step is executing it with your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why the FAM Method uses photogrammetry instead of relying solely on intraoral scanning
Intraoral scanners build a full-arch image by stitching together thousands of overlapping frames. Over the span of a complete arch, particularly one with four to six implants, that stitching process accumulates error and accuracy degrades as implant count increases. Photogrammetry works differently and calculates implant positions using vector-based triangulation from scan bodies, which produces a single positional dataset rather than a stitched surface.
This approach creates a more accurate record of where each implant sits in three-dimensional space, which forms the foundation of passive fit. The FAM Method uses photogrammetry for implant position capture and pairs it with an intraoral scan for soft-tissue emergence profiles, because photogrammetry alone cannot capture mucosal contours. The merge of both datasets in exocad gives the lab technician everything needed to design a restoration that seats without adjustment.
What happens when a scan body is not fully seated before photogrammetry capture
An incompletely seated scan body records a false implant position. The photogrammetry system has no way to distinguish a correctly seated body from one that is partially obstructed by tissue or debris, and it simply captures whatever position the body occupies at the time of the scan.
The resulting design is fabricated to that incorrect position, and the restoration will not seat at delivery. The FAM Method treats scan body seating verification as a non-negotiable checkpoint. Each body is seated with firm finger pressure or a seating instrument, checked for rocking, and confirmed radiographically whenever any doubt exists. This step takes less than two minutes per implant and prevents a full remake.
How the FAM Method achieves a 2–4 hour same-day delivery timeline
The 2–4 hour window comes from parallel workflows, not a faster version of a sequential process. While the dentist completes the surgical phase, the trained surgical assistant hands off the photogrammetry and intraoral scan data to the lab technician.
The lab technician begins the exocad design, which fits into a 30–45 minute window when records are clean, and then sends the approved file to the in-office 3D printer. Print and post-processing run 45–90 minutes. By the time the patient is ready for prosthetic delivery, the restoration is finished. This level of parallelism only occurs when every team member owns a defined role and the records acquisition phase is delegated away from the dentist. Practices that keep the dentist in every step sequentially cannot hit this window regardless of technology speed.
How FP1, FP2, and FP3 differ in the FAM Method and why that affects photogrammetry
FP1, FP2, and FP3 are prosthetic classifications that describe how much of the missing tooth and gingival structure the restoration replaces. FP1 replaces only the crown, so the restoration looks like natural teeth emerging from natural gum tissue. FP2 replaces the crown and part of the root. FP3 replaces the crown, root, and gingival tissue, which creates the pink-and-white hybrid arch most people associate with full-arch implants.
This classification matters for photogrammetry because FP1 cases demand more precise soft-tissue emergence profile capture. The restoration must emerge from the tissue exactly as a natural tooth would, which means the IOS soft-tissue data must be captured immediately and accurately. FP1 also involves different case selection criteria, root banking considerations, and lab design parameters in exocad. The FAM Method addresses FP1 as a distinct workflow variant, with the lab technician trained on FP1-specific design steps that differ from the standard FP2/FP3 sequence.
Whether a practice can implement the FAM Method without an in-house lab technician
The FAM Method is built around in-house fabrication, and the 2–4 hour same-day delivery timeline depends on design and print phases happening on-site in parallel with the clinical phase. Without an in-house lab technician, the design handoff goes to an external lab, which reintroduces multi-day turnaround and removes same-day delivery.
Practices that currently outsource lab work can still implement the FAM Method’s clinical and records acquisition steps, use photogrammetry for accurate implant position capture, and plan for in-house fabrication as a next phase. The FAM Method’s team training model accommodates practices at different stages of in-house capability, and the Design and Finish Course is structured to help lab technicians, whether in-house or external, learn the full digital design and finishing workflow so the practice can eventually bring fabrication in-house.
