“Patients are used to the old-fashioned impression material. Nobody likes that stuff because it’s dirty and messy. When patients see the scanner, at Magadh Oro Dental Clinic … every patient is impressed. It’s the ‘wow’ factor.”

What is a digital dental impression?

By utilizing digital dental technology, we can generate 3D images of a patient’s teeth and gums using a handheld wand known as an intraoral scanner or digital impression scanner. Once this simple process is complete, the images are sent to the dental lab immediately, where the tooth restoration tools can start being made.

Compared to traditional impressions, digital impressions are a lot less invasive. They also take less time to administe, typically just one to two minutes in total. Compared to intrusive and potentially inaccurate methods, digital dental impressions are faster, more efficient, more accurate, and more comfortable for our patient of Magadh Oro Dental - Implant Orthodontic & Laser Clinic

A handheld device called an intraoral scanner is inserted into the patient’s mouth. In just one to two minutes, the scanner records the size and shape of the mouth including each tooth as well as the gums, bite, and hard and soft palates. This data is automatically converted into a detailed 3D rendering available near-instantaneously for viewing on a nearby monitor. This model can then be inspected from any distance or angle, removing the need for abstract descriptions and generic replicas. Data shows that patients have an overwhelmingly positive reaction to this process and the understanding it facilitates

But digital dental impressions are much more than an awe-inspiring visual aid. With the push of a button, our patient’s data can be sent directly to a lab where skilled technicians and dental professionals use computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) to ensure proper alignment and spacing before using precision tools to fabricate the crown, prosthesis, overlay, or any other intraoral appliance. No curing, no air-pockets, and virtually no room for error.

Video - Digital Impression for OSSTEM Implant with ScanBody by Dr. Abhishek Kumar at Magadh Oro Dental

 

5 advantages of digital dental impressions

1. Digital technology gives dentists a competitive edge

2. Digital impressions improve our patients’ experience

3. Digital workflows make your job easier

4. Increase productivity with digital impressions and workflows

5. Digital impressions help reduce costs

 

Benefits of Taking Digital Impressions

There are numerous benefits to consider with this advanced technology. When used correctly, digital impressions can increase productivity and efficiency and provide a high degree of accuracy. They are extremely convenient, particularly because the impression can be emailed to the dental laboratory rather than sent, as a conventional impression would be, by courier or by mail. This type of technology is often used for same-day dental restorations, reducing the need for patients to make multiple visits to the dental office.

 

Additional benefits of taking digital impressions at Magadh Oro Dental include:

Improved impression quality, resulting in precision-fitting restorations

Less chair time should be required as it can take as few as three to five minutes to complete

Digital impressions can be far more pleasant for patients who struggle with conventional impressions, especially for people with strong gag reflexes, anxiety, or fears when receiving dental treatment

Eliminating the use of conventional materials can reduce impression-taking errors, resulting in fewer remakes

A digital impression can easily be stored electronically, resulting in less paperwork, more efficient record-keeping, and less required physical storage space

Digital dental impressions are an eco-friendly way to take impressions because the process eliminates the need for disposable impression trays and impression materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill

Turnaround times may be faster because the digital file is instantly sent to the dental lab and there is no need to spend time casting up a traditional working model

A digital scan can be magnified and evaluated by the dentist while the patient is still in the chair so if there are any errors, they can be corrected before the file is submitted to the dental lab

The ability to see the impression on-screen in the surgery allows dentists to check tooth preparations more accurately and to modify preps if required

Taking digital dental impressions can increase patient satisfaction, not least because they result in a precision-fitted restoration, with far fewer remakes and chair-side adjustments needed. With traditional dental impressions, there is significant room for error- impressions can have voids or defects, air bubbles, or distortions. Often, patients will become more involved and interested in the use of this cutting-edge technology and will appreciate learning more about the treatment process because they can view the scan while still in the dental chair.