BellaTek Encode^® Done Right.

3DL is a ZimVie-certified Encode Empowered Laboratory. We design custom abutments and final crowns directly from the encoded data on the BellaTek Encode three-in-one healing abutment — no scan-body swap, no impression coping, fewer patient appointments, no risk of soft-tissue collapse from repeated component removal.

BellaTek Encode® Workflow at a Glance

BellaTek Encode is ZimVie's coded healing abutment / impression coping / scan body — three components in one piece of titanium. The top surface is laser-engraved with a constellation of pits and reference marks that uniquely encode the implant platform, the rotational position, and the depth of the implant relative to surrounding tissue. A certified Encode Empowered laboratory reads those codes from a digital scan or impression and reconstructs the exact implant position digitally — no separate scan body, no manual platform entry, no chance of mis-identification.

Three Components in One

One Encode plays the role of:

• Healing abutment — placed at uncovery to shape the gingival cuff during osseointegration.
• Impression coping — at the restorative appointment, no removal needed; the Encode itself is the impression coping.
• Scan body — for digital workflows, the encoded top surface acts as the scan body.

The patient never has the Encode removed and replaced with a separate scan body or impression coping. The gingival cuff that took weeks to mature is never re-disturbed.

Encode Empowered Laboratory (EEL) Custom Abutments

3DL is a ZimVie-certified Encode Empowered Laboratory — calibrated to read BellaTek Encode codes and design custom abutments + final restorations directly from the encoded data. The EEL workflow produces an emergence-matched custom abutment paired with a crown that seats passively on the prosthetic platform with verified marginal fit.

Working with a non-EEL lab on an Encode case usually means the lab quietly asks the doctor to remove the Encode and place a separate scan body — defeating the purpose of the system. EEL certification keeps the workflow intact end-to-end.

Place → Heal → Scan → Deliver

The four-step Encode workflow collapses what used to be a three-visit restorative cycle into two:

1. Place — Seat the BellaTek Encode at second-stage uncovery (or at implant placement when single-stage). The Encode shapes the gingival cuff for the osseointegration period.
2. Heal — Standard osseointegration period (typically 3–6 months). No component swaps, no try-in abutments, no tissue disturbance.
3. Scan — At the restorative appointment, scan or impression the in-place Encode. No removal. Use any major intraoral scanner (iTero, 3Shape TRIOS, Primescan, Medit, Carestream, Virtuo Vivo) — the encoded surface is captured as part of the standard scan protocol.
4. Deliver — 3DL decodes the implant position, designs the custom abutment + final crown as a matched pair, and ships in 7 to 10 business days. Remove the Encode at the final appointment and seat the abutment + crown together.

Compatible Platforms

• Tapered Screw-Vent (TSV) — the workhorse ZimVie internal-hex connection.
• T3 / T3 PRO — Certain internal hex connection (Biomet 3i lineage).
• Eztetic — narrow-diameter (3.1 mm) esthetic-zone implants.
• Trabecular Metal Implant — porous tantalum platform, same prosthetic interface as TSV.
• TSX — newer aggressive-thread tapered implant, TSV-compatible prosthetic interface.

Key Advantages

• One fewer patient visit per implant case (2 visits instead of 3 for restorative).
• Tissue cuff is never re-disturbed — emergence profile preserved from healing through delivery.
• No manual entry of implant platform — codes are read directly from the scan, no human transcription error.
• Faster overall treatment time and more predictable emergence profile.
• Integrates with all major intraoral scanners through standard scan protocols.
• Works across the full ZimVie internal connection family (TSV, T3, Eztetic, TM, TSX).

Sources: zimvie.com — BellaTek Encode Impression System · TSV BellaTek Encode Surgical Technical Guide (PDF). Verified by 3DL on 2026-05-08. Always confirm SKUs and clinical procedure against the current ZimVie IFU.

What Is the BellaTek Encode System?

The BellaTek Encode^® system is ZimVie's three-in-one implant component that combines what used to be three separate parts of the restorative workflow into a single piece of titanium.

One Encode component plays the role of:

1. Healing abutment — placed at second-stage surgery to shape the gingival cuff during osseointegration.
2. Impression coping — at the restorative appointment, no removal needed; the Encode itself is the impression coping.
3. Scan body — for digital workflows, the encoded top surface acts as the scan body.

The top of the Encode healing abutment is laser-engraved with a coded geometry — a constellation of pits and reference marks that uniquely encodes the implant platform, the rotational position relative to the arch, and the depth of the implant relative to the surrounding tissue. A certified Encode Empowered laboratory reads those codes from a digital scan or impression and reconstructs the exact implant position digitally — no separate scan body, no manual entry of platform parameters, no chance of mis-identifying the connection.

The Clinical Problem It Solves

The traditional implant restorative workflow is built around component swaps. Each swap means another patient visit, another disturbance of the gingival cuff that took weeks to mature, and another opportunity for soft-tissue collapse around the implant.

One fewer patient visit. No try-in abutment cycle. No tissue collapse from repeated instrumentation. Faster overall treatment time, and a more predictable emergence profile because the gingival cuff is never re-disturbed during impression-taking.

What "Encode Empowered Laboratory" Certification Means

Not every dental laboratory can read BellaTek Encode codes correctly. ZimVie audits and certifies Encode Empowered Laboratories on:

• Calibrated CAD software with the proprietary Encode decoding library installed and current.
• Verified milling tolerances for ZimVie implant connections — the abutment-to-implant interface must seat passively to ZimVie spec.
• Documented quality processes for component identification, scan body validation, and final fit verification before shipment.
• Regular re-certification as ZimVie publishes Encode system updates, new platform compatibility, and updated decoding firmware.

Sending an Encode case to a non-certified lab usually means the lab quietly asks the doctor to remove the Encode and place a regular scan body anyway — defeating the entire purpose of the system. Working with an Encode Empowered partner means the workflow stays intact end-to-end: the Encode goes in once and only comes out at the final restorative appointment.

Compatible Implant Systems

BellaTek Encode three-in-one components are available across major ZimVie / ZimVie implant platforms, including:

• TSV (Tapered Screw-Vent) — the workhorse ZimVie connection.
• T3 (Tapered and Parallel) — internal hex platforms.
• Eztetic — narrow-diameter esthetic-zone implants.
• Trabecular Metal Implant — the porous tantalum platform.
• Other ZimVie-supported platforms — call to confirm component availability for your specific implant lot.

For non-ZimVie implants, 3DL works with every major platform separately and provides component identification at no charge before any case begins. See the full list of supported implant systems.

The 3DL Encode Workflow

From the doctor's chair to the seated final restoration, an Encode case at 3DL looks like this:

1. Scan the in-place Encode. Use your intraoral scanner — iTero, 3Shape TRIOS, Primescan, Medit, Carestream — to capture the Encode top surface, the surrounding tissue, the adjacent teeth, and the opposing arch. No need to remove the healing abutment. No separate scan body.
2. Submit through the doctor portal. Mark "BellaTek Encode" as the implant component type. 3DL confirms receipt the same day and verifies the implant platform from the encoded data before any milling begins.
3. 3DL designs in matched pairs. The custom abutment and the final crown are designed together in the same CAD session. The emergence profile of the abutment is shaped to support the crown's gingival contour exactly, and the crown's intaglio surface is milled to seat passively on the abutment with verified marginal fit.
4. Mill, finish, ship. Custom titanium or zirconia abutment plus final crown ship together in 7 to 10 business days. A verification jig is included on request for the abutment torque-down step.

Materials and Abutment Options

For BellaTek Encode cases, 3DL offers the full range of restorative materials so the choice can be matched to the case rather than to lab capability:

• Custom titanium abutments — milled from ZimVie-spec titanium blanks, screw-retained, ideal for posterior cases where strength is paramount.
• Custom zirconia abutments — for esthetic anterior cases where titanium show-through through thin gingival tissue is a risk.
• Hybrid abutments (titanium base + zirconia top) — best of both: a machined ZimVie-spec connection at the implant interface and a milled zirconia emergence profile for esthetics.
• Cement-retained crowns — full-contour zirconia, layered zirconia, or IPS e.max (lithium disilicate) depending on esthetic requirement and occlusal load.
• Screw-retained crowns — full-contour zirconia or layered zirconia with a screw access channel, the workflow most clinicians prefer for retrievability.

All materials are ISO-certified and sourced from premium domestic and OEM suppliers. No off-brand substitutions, no shortcuts.

Pricing and Turnaround

• Standard turnaround: 7 business days from scan upload to ship — abutment and crown ship together as a matched pair.
• Rush available: 3–4 day rush for an additional fee. Call (248) 919-7929 to confirm rush availability for your case.
• No contracts, no minimums: Per-unit pricing doesn't change with volume, and there's no penalty for stopping or pausing case submissions.

For specific pricing on Encode cases — material choice, single-unit vs. multi-unit, urgency tier — call (248) 919-7929. We quote up front before any production starts.

Final Torque Values

⚠️ Manufacturer-published torque specifications for clinical reference. Always verify against the current IFU before clinical use.

BellaTek Encode is a coded healing-abutment / impression-coping / scan-body workflow on top of ZimVie's TSV, T3 Certain, Eztetic, Trabecular Metal, and TSX implant platforms. Final torque values follow the underlying ZimVie platform spec — not a separate Encode-specific value.

For Certain platform (Biomet 3i lineage), Gold-Tite Hex screws were historically rated at 20 Ncm hand-torqued; current ZimVie TSV/T3 spec uses 30 Ncm with a calibrated mechanical wrench. Verify your specific implant SKU against the current ZimVie Restorative Manual.

Source: zimvie.com — TSV BellaTek Encode Surgical Technical Guide · Verified 2026-05-08

Frequently Asked Questions