Intraoral scanners are perhaps the most visible evidence of the emergence of digital dentistry. That’s at least partly due to their affordability, ease-of-use and versatility. But it is also largely due to the major leap in convenience, speed and cost they offer over previous methods, like dental impressions. We can confidently say we do not know of any dentists who want to go back to using dental molds after they’ve used intraoral scanners.
And there’s good reason for that. The advantages of intraoral scanners (IOS) make us all wonder how we ever did it any other way.
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Time Saving
Calling it ‘time saving’ doesn’t really do its justice. Compared to the cumbersome process of making impressions and getting the application back from the lab, using an IOS lets complete treatments faster and treat more patients.
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Better Patient Experience
Patients aren’t big fans of dental impressions either. Compared to having to sit with an impression tray in your mouth, patients barely notice the intraoral scanning procedure. They also appreciate the speed at which their new applications are ready, and the comfort of a perfect fit.
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Highly Accurate
Speaking of ‘perfect fit’, the accuracy you can achieve with an IOS means you can count on exact shape, contour and details in every finished scan. And if you’re aren’t happy with a particular scan, you can rescan right away. And more accurate scans result in more accurate applications.
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A Simplified Process
In addition to being able to immediately recapture a digital impression, the steps involved between the scan and placing the application into a patients mouth are far fewer in number, less complicated, and less fraught with risk.
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Support Your Brand
For patients, knowing that they are being treated with the ‘latest technology’ tells them they are getting the best treatment. It’s an understanding that they will pass along to their family and friends.
To learn more about digital dentistry, check out our article Digital Dentistry: Dental Milling Machines.