Switching over to digital impressions can seem like a tremendous
hurdle. But similar to switching to digital x-rays, one can find the accuracy
and efficiency of these systems to be superior to one’s current workflow. And
one is likely to find reluctant to ever go back.
Consider the traditional impression:
Injecting
some material into the patient’s mouth, and this material fights air, water or
blood to cover over the surface of the tooth. The material has its own inherent
characteristics of hydrophilicity (dissolving in water), expansion and contraction
that can lead to inaccuracies. Pulling the impression away from the other teeth
tests it elasticity and ability to return to the exact same shape. Then, during
the next couple of days, the impression gets shipped in a hot UPS truck to the
lab where stone is poured into the impression, adding its own potential for
setting expansion or bubbles in the equation. Then with all these potential problem
points, add in the fact that the gagger patient has
not had the greatest experience in the Clinic.
Digital
impressions skip all of that. Most systems now can capture a digital copy of
the tooth in under a
minute, making the process efficient and
gag-free. The digital model can immediately be read for any inaccuracies, and
can be sent to the lab over an internet connection for
approval and fabrication of the crown, bridge or other restoration. The
finished restoration returns from the lab sooner and because of the accuracy of
the digital model, they rarely need much in the way of adjustments prior to
seating.
An often overlooked
benefit is that, there is no model for the Dentist to store. Every dentist has
a lab filled with case pans filled with old models being kept for a variety of
reasons. Digital impressions can be stored on a hard drive, taking up minimal
space. This feature alone would change the architectural design of most
orthodontic practices out there.
Perhaps one of the more intangible benefits to digital
impressions is the reaction from the patient. Not only is it an improved
experience, but it highlights your office as progressive and high-tech.
What a USER Needs to Know:
How Digital
Impressions Work:
Each of the available digital impression systems
relies on a proprietary imaging system to capture a three-dimensional digital
picture of the intraoral anatomy. But while the specific methods of image
capture differ, the basic principles are the same. The surfaces being scanned
are illuminated under a specific light—usually a laser beam or a projected
pattern—and the way the light interacts with the surfaces is recorded to plot
distances from the camera. A computer processes these plot points—sometimes
combining it with reference points from simultaneously captured 2D images—to
create an accurate 3D digital model of the area being scanned.
Why Some
Scanners Require Powder:
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Some scanners measure the reflection of projected
light and require a uniform reflective surface in order to capture data
accurately. Because substances such as enamel, dentin, gingiva, blood and
saliva have different reflective qualities, a scanning medium (powder) is used
coat the intraoral surfaces to give them identical reflective properties without
altering their contours.
What Will Be
Different After Going Digital:
One of the most important things to understand is
that your workflow will be different, but more efficient. If you are used to
your dental assistant handling all the impressions, her or she can be trained
to use the machine to continue in this role. Shifting to digital impressions
frees up time for them by eliminating the time for setting, possible re-takes,
packaging and more. With digital impressions your office also can eliminate much
of the cost of dental impression consumables.
Benefits of Digital
Impressions:
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- Highly accurate
- Faster than using traditional impression material
- Digital storage of models
- Better fitting restorations
- Faster turn-around time in lab
- Practice builder
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