For orthodontists, prosthodontists, implantologists, and all dentists, dental impressions and models of the jaws are vital for treatment planning, appliance manufacturing, surgical templates, orthodontic analysis, and so on. Traditional impressions have long been utilized with dental materials such as alginate, impression compounds, elastomeric materials, etc.
Intraoral scanners for impression-taking and producing digital models have been incorporated into dental practice as a result of recent technological breakthroughs. Intraoral scanners (IOS) are tools used in dentistry to capture direct optical impressions. These are gaining wide acceptance among dental practitioners globally as a possible alternative to traditional impressions. CAD-CAM technology for prosthetic fabrication and 3D printing.
Why should I choose Digital intraoral scanners instead of traditional alginate impressions?
Digital scanners have several advantages over traditional impressions.
The simplicity of use: Conventional impressions are gradually becoming obsolete with the introduction of digital intraoral scanners, which are easier to use, faster, and not technique-sensitive, in contrast to conventional impressions, which require a great deal of skill to perform successfully.
Reduced patient discomfort: Intraoral scanning reduces patient discomfort associated with traditional physical impressions due to the materials placed on impression trays and pushed into the mouth, which induce gagging and coughing in many patients.
Time-saving: Intraoral scanners have contributed to avoiding the procedures of dental material mixing, tray loading, insertion, and waiting for the material to be set before removal, resulting in significant chairside time saving.
Precise replication of details: Because digital impressions record inaccessible portions of the oral cavity, they can recreate intricate details that conventional impression materials cannot always capture on the first try.
Send digital scans to lab technicians instantly: All you need is high-speed internet, and you can transmit digital scans to dental technicians or your colleagues almost instantly, even without shipping stone models, which tend to damage during shipment!!
Prevent manufacturing faults: Digital scanning eliminates any flaws in the prosthesis that may arise owing to impression material distortion, plaster expansion, deviation when mounting a model to an articulator, and casting shrinkage.
Patient and doctor's preference: Because it eliminates sticky dental materials that are unpleasant for patients and inconvenient for the operator, intraoral scanners are frequently preferred by both patients and dentists.
Time effective: A full arch scan typically takes 3-5 minutes to complete and is delivered to the technician within minutes, saving significant time lost in transportation. There's no need to clean imprint trays, rubber bowls, or spatulas later, which saves time! Furthermore, scans may be rerun in minutes without any complications if there are any problems.
Improved patient communication: Digital impressions make patients feel more involved in their treatment and allow more effective communication.
As with everything new, there will always be a learning curve to consider. Adopting new technologies is more difficult for older clinicians with less experience and interest in technology than for tech-savvy clinicians.
We need to evolve and continue to improve to stay up to date with modern technology in use. That is the only way to be successful in the highly competitive and rapidly changing field of dentistry. More information here.