If you’ve ever experienced a mold being taken of your mouth you may remember how messy, uncomfortable and cold it may have felt. It can put you off getting necessary dental treatment which can adversely affect your health. Well now for many treatments like dental crowns, dental implants and Invisalign we can simply scan your teeth. A 3D extremely accurate representation of your teeth can now be digitised!
iTero scanning and benefits of digital scanning
When it comes to dental health, a sure sign of a dental practice’s commitment to excellence is the use of cutting-edge technology to provide the best oral treatments for all of their patients. The iTero Digital Intraoral Scanner is the latest in oral scanners. It creates a 3D image of your teeth and gums in just two or three minutes. iTero has been used to take 6 million restorative scans and 27 million orthodontic scans throughout the world.
What is an iTero scanner?
The iTero scanner, combined with digital software, takes 6,000 images per second to produce an accurate 3D image of your teeth. The device is user-friendly and can be operated by one person to provide much more detailed images than the traditional two-dimensional images they replace.
The digital scans can help dental professionals create highly accurate dental models that can be used for restorative work such as, implants, veneers, and crowns. The scans can also be used to diagnose problems with the teeth and gums so that your orthodontist can develop the best treatment.
The iTero is an open system. This means that dental professionals have maximum flexibility about how the dental files are used. For example, they can share iTero digital scans with other dental experts and also additional providers for treatment such as Invisalign aligners.
How the iTero scanner works
Your dental professional will scan the inside of your mouth with a compact, hand-held wand. The laser is radiation-free. Using digital technology, the scanner captures images of the structure of your teeth and surrounding soft tissues.
The procedure is completely comfortable and may be stopped and started as often as is necessary. The scanner’s digital software enables you to view a 3D model of your entire teeth and gums on a computer screen.
The benefits of iTero scanning
Before the development of this unique technology, dental professionals had to rely on the use of putty and dental mold to get an accurate impression of a patient’s teeth. This process was not particularly pleasant for the patient because they were required to keep the substance in their mouth for several minutes to allow it to form. This resulted in an unpleasant taste and an aching jaw.
From the perspective of dental professionals, putty and molds were not a perfect means of getting an accurate impression. If a patient did not keep their mouth open for the full duration, even a small movement could result in a failed impression and the process would have to start over. Even with a good impression, orthodontists often had to reshape or grind the restorations before they could be fitted comfortably. All of this is no longer necessary thanks to the iTero scanner.
Results you can see for yourself
Because you can see the results of the scan within minutes, you can rest assured that your restorations will be perfect for your needs. The device has a predictive modeling technique, which means that you can see the changes that will be taking place throughout the course of your treatment.
You can get a glimpse in advance of the perfect smile you will attain when your treatment is complete. This ensures that you can feel completely stress-free and confident that you are making a wise investment, particularly if you are undergoing a long-term orthodontic procedure.
Furthermore, current and previous dental maps can be compared, so your dentist can see the precise movements and corrections that will take place. iTero can be used for restorative procedures such as Invisalign, and braces for adults and children as well as crowns, bridges, and custom implants. It can not only give you better results, but it also helps your dentist make more accurate and effective adjustments, which means more comfortable fitting and can save you time and money in the long run.
How we use iTero to benefit our patients
Here are the ways we use iTero technology in our dental practice:
- Detailed dental exams: One of the main reasons we introduced this technology into our office is because we know just how important a thorough dental exam is for providing you with the best oral healthcare. iTero allows us to guarantee you the best treatment plan and to give you the most detailed information about your teeth. It allows us to see:
- Cavities
- Formations of plaque and calculus
- Crowded or uneven teeth
- Chipped and impacted teeth
Using iTero technology each time you visit, we can show you how your smile is changing over time. This can be really beneficial if you are undergoing long-term treatment because you can see your progress.
- Invisalign teeth correction: Because of its predictive technology, iTero can produce a simulation of how your teeth will look during each stage of your Invisalign treatment and when it is complete. So, you get to see your perfect new smile even before you start your treatment
- Cosmetic and restorative procedures: iTero scans can produce much better-looking and comfortable restorations including veneers, crowns, and implants. What’s more, you don’t have to suffer the discomfort of putty and molds for us to get it right.
Benefits of iTero
The advantages of iTero Digital Intraoral Scanning are plain to see:
- A great tool for patient education: You can see your teeth in a way never before accessible to you, while we explain any dental conditions you may need treatment for.
- Comfort and ease: We’ve done away with messy, bad-tasting, and uncomfortable putty and molds. There’s no more aching jaw or gagging.
- Simple and efficient: You get the best care with this great technology. This means you won’t have to come back for additional impressions. One scan creates the only model of your mouth that we need.
- Safe: This technology does not use any radiation
The use of iTero Digital Intraoral Scanner at our dental practice means we no longer have to take impressions for many treatments, instead, we can use its technology to scan patient’s teeth for all restorative treatments, diagnosis and dental records. Patient’s love the comfort, ease of use and having their mouth digitised before their eyes. Contact us to find out how this technology can benefit you.