Good News for Gaggers!
Do you hate taking dental impressions?
Do you gag easily? Does the idea of a mouth full of impression material (a.k.a. goo, clay, putty, gobbledy-gook) make your heart race? You are not alone! You wouldn’t believe the number of patients who tell us they absolutely hate having dental impressions taken. It can be uncomfortable for people with strong gag reflexes, small mouths, bony protuberances called tori or exostoses, or claustrophobia. Get ready to meet the intraoral scanner!
We have great news for you: an intraoral scanner!
We are committed to providing you with the latest dental technology available for intraoral scanning! Designer Smiles is proud to offer you an alternative to gooey, gaggy impressions: 3D intraoral scanning with the iTero scanner. Not only is the iTero scanner much more comfortable for the patient, it is also faster! The entire mouth can be scanned in just a few minutes. Rather than the possibility of mistakes that require retaking the impression, if an area of the mouth is missed in a scan, only that area needs rescanning.
What is an intraoral scanner?
An intraoral scanner is a digital camera that takes thousands of small pictures and knits them together in the proper spatial arrangement to create a three-dimensional digital model of your teeth. It has a small handheld wand that is connected to a high-tech, super-graphics laptop computer. The tip of the scanner (the part that goes in your mouth) is removable and interchangeable. We have multiple tips, and we sterilize them between each patient.
How is a patient “scanned”?
It’s a very simple process! The dentist or dental assistant will use the intraoral scanner to capture the images needed by moving the wand over the teeth in a back and forth motion. The scanner makes no sound as the images are captured. The scanning does not have to be done in a continuous session; you can take breaks if needed. A full mouth scan of upper and lower teeth and the bite takes around 3-5 minutes. No uncomfortable cheek retractors are necessary for this type of imaging, and the wand does not even touch your teeth.
What is the scanner used for?
We use the intraoral scanner for almost everything for which we needed to take dental impressions. This includes:
Invisalign- Nightguards for TMJ and teeth grinding
- Retainers
- Trial Smiles
- Crowns
- Bridges
- Implant restorations
What are the advantages of the intraoral scanner?
Digital scans do not warp, the way traditional dental impressions can. No warping means greater precision. Greater precision means a better fit!
A digital scan of your mouth takes less time than traditional impressions and bite registrations. No one is complaining about less time in the dental chair.
Because the scans are digital, they are emailed directly to the lab, which means your impressions cannot get lost in the mail!
One scan can create as many dental models as the dentist or lab needs for your case. There is no need for multiple impressions.
If you lose your retainer, you do not have to go back to the office for a new impression. A replacement retainer can be made directly from your existing scan (assuming your teeth have not relapsed already).
Do you need a digital scan?
If fear of gooey impressions has been holding you back from getting the dental work you need, your wait is over. Call us today at 281-667-4010 to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Ann and Dr. Lauren. They will devise a customized treatment plan to meet your dental needs and get you back on the road to good health in no time.