Precision is one of the most important elements in dentistry. Precision allows dental providers to ensure their patients get the best possible care. Tools like the iTero scanner have made a significant impact on revolutionizing smiles. Advanced technology like this creates digital impressions, giving us the ability to move away from those uncomfortable and messy molds and move into the future with much better results.
Dentists looking for the best solutions have moved to technology like this. The goal is to improve and enhance patient care, and the iTero system helps to make that happen. Learn all that there is to know about digital impressions vs traditional dental molds. Keep reading to learn more!
What is an iTero Scanner?
iTero embraces the future of technology, giving dental offices the ability to reinvent their patient care and treatment solutions. The brand offers several different products, but one of the most noteworthy is the digital scanner that provides 3D images. The intention of those images is to completely replace the manual molds of old that were bulky, messy, and uncomfortable.
Since the 3D scan is directly of the patient’s mouth, it captures very specific and accurate images with 3D technology. The images will capture the teeth and gums and can do so in a matter of minutes. The iTero will scan the inside of the mouth using a wand device. That scan then creates a detailed digital model that can be viewed by office personnel in real time.
The iTero scanner is most popular for orthodontic treatments, restorative procedures, and cosmetic dentistry. However, it can be used for any type of dental treatment that might normally require a mold to provide accurate treatment.
These digital scans are surprisingly easy to work with and incredibly accurate. Plus, they are digital, which means no physical elements have to be sent off or captured through photos.
Say Goodbye to Messy Molds
Traditional molds have always been captured by putting a cumbersome tray filled with gooey materials into the client’s mouth. The materials ooze out and form around the teeth, creating an impression of your teeth. However, any wrong movement or mis-bite can lead to incorrect details in those impressions.
Many patients who have experienced those trays for manual molds have known the feeling of stretching cheeks, serious discomfort, or even gagging from the bulky piece in their mouth. With iTero, all of this can be avoided. It’s as simple as a small scanning wand gently gliding over the teeth. The results are accurate digital impressions without the mess and without the extreme discomfort.
Precise and Better Results
The reality of old mold processes is that they were not always very accurate. There were a lot of details that could easily cause a provider to get a bad mold. When that happened, anything that was based on the mold could be inaccurate as well. Those molds affect your treatments, and any incorrect detail could negatively impact the treatment received.
With high-definition digital images from the iTero, dental offices get digital impressions that are extremely precise. The wand scans every little detail. As long as the providers know how to properly scan, the results are far more accurate than manual impressions. This allows dentists to devise restoration needs or create tailored treatments that are perfectly designed for every detail of the teeth in question.
This helps reduce the possibility of errors or adjustments that have to be made and streamlines the process as well.
A Faster Path to Treatment
When it comes to dental care, playing the waiting game isn’t always possible. With traditional molds, they had to be sent off and then any necessary treatment equipment was created according to those molds. The process was long and could require multiple appointments to even get started. If there were any errors with the impressions, that dragged the process out even more.
Since iTero scanners provide instant digital impressions, the process is much faster for everyone. The provider can get to your treatment far more quickly, speeding up the entire process to get you taken care of.
Eco-Friendly Dental Care
Sustainability and reducing waste are becoming more and more important. A transition to digital impressions makes practices far more eco-friendly in their approach. There is less waste and fewer disposable materials that are used when digital impressions are utilized rather than physical models.
Final Thoughts
The truth is that dental impressions and dental care are quickly turning to digital solutions in many different ways. Digital impressions vs traditional dental molds offer substantial benefits for all. Technological upgrades like the iTero scanner are game-changers for dental practices as well as their patients, transforming processes and quality of care for every patient and the outcomes of their dental experience.
Solutions like these certainly revolutionize smiles in all the right ways. Thanks to easier, more efficient methods, the future of dentistry is at our fingertips. Schedule your appointment with us today!