What is an intraoral scanner?
An intraoral scanner is a device used for capturing direct optical images of your teeth and gums and other oral soft tissues. This provides a 3D image of the oral structures which can be uploaded into a 3D planning software for treatment planning purposes. At Divine Dental Care, we use a medit i500 intraoral scanner.
What are they used for?
Intraoral scanners are commonly used for:
- taking digital impressions of teeth prepared for crowns, bridges and implants
- taking a 3D capture of your teeth and bite for orthodontic treatment analysis and clear aligner treatment
- the included high definition camera allows us to take close up pictures of teeth for patient education
Intraoral scanner advantages
- avoiding the uncomfortable experience of gagging which commonly occurs during a manual impression taking procedure
- saves time constructing crowns and bridges as we do not have to manually post your analogue impressions through the post. Digital files created by the intraoral scanner can be emailed to the dental laboratory straight away
- can be more accurate than traditional impression taking
- easy to rescan the area in question if the first scan is not accurate
What happens during a scan?
During the scanning procedure, the dentist will dry your mouth to make sure it is free of moisture and saliva. This is very important so we get a clear and accurate image. Retraction will be carried out to keep your lips and tongue out of the field of scan and the scanner tip is inserted and moved along the area in question. The progress of scanning shows up on the computer screen, and the scanning is stopped once we obtain the necessary information that is needed. The process is very quick and simple and allows the patient to have a much more comfortable experience compared to using traditional impression taking methods. Book an online appointment with Divine Dental Care today to have your teeth scanned!