An Overview of Intraoral Scanners as Used in Restorative Dental Procedures

An Overview of Intraoral Scanners as Used in Restorative Dental Procedures

A new wave of dental technology has had a transformative effect on the dental landscape – offering dental practitioners and patients a number of benefits. Dental practitioners can take advantage of enhanced work processes to improve efficiencies, as well as offer patient’s better-quality dental care.

For patients, a dental clinic utilizing the latest available dental technology such as Align Technology’s intraoral scanners (iTero) that is used in Invisalign in Hertfordshire. The digital scan helps to avoid a gag reflex commonly experienced in treatments using the conventional impression. In addition to patient comfort, digital scanning technology results in less time spent in the dentist’s chair.

With all these and more plus points to consider, it comes as no surprise that the estimated global market growth for intraoral scanners according to Allied Market Research is believed to target $557m by 2023.

How smart intraoral scanning technology has been a game-changer

For those dental clinics fortunate enough to make use of available digital technologies in their pursuit of dental service excellence, dental practitioners have found a corresponding effect of speedier workflows (from dentist to lab technician) and a higher level of accuracy. Accuracy is critical as many dental prosthetic instruments used by dentists today are custom-designed for the individual patient and accurate measurements will ensure the best fit possible. Digital dental scanners have become commonplace in orthodontic treatments and restorative dentistry.

  • Address communication challenges in the collaborative process

It is usual for dental clinics to outsource the manufacture of dental devices to laboratories. When a custom-made dental device does not fit a patient properly, it is often inaccurate impressions or miscommunication that is to blame. The flow of communication is made much easier with the adoption of digital scanning technology – allowing for a smoother collaborative process.

  • Access to data made available in real-time

Laboratory technicians receive clear prescriptions that contain an impressive level of detail. If there are any concerns or if further detail is needed, a dentist can provide all of this while the patient is still seated in the practice.

As patient records are stored digitally, this eliminates the need for additional storage space which becomes obsolete. More than this, there is no worry about teeth impression moulds breaking.

  • Incomparable visualization capabilities

It goes without saying that clinical precision is a defining element in successful orthodontic treatments. The innovative technology used in the latest available digital scanning equipment can process tooth movement data at a faster rate and more accurately.

It is best for dental practitioners that make use of digital scanners to make their patients familiar with the technology and how the equipment will be used. This is to ensure patient comfort and reduce anxiety as a result of having unfamiliar looking equipment placed in their mouths.

While it may look like a simple wand, the device is quite remarkable. It can record thousands of frames in a relatively quick timeframe and can reach the back parts of the mouth easily that would otherwise prove a challenge. For more information about Invisalign or the use of intraoral scanners in orthodontic treatments, give your local dentist a call.

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