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What Are Digital Impressions?
Digital impressions let your dentist create a virtual replica of your teeth and mouth. Within minutes, a computer-generated model of your mouth can be completed. If the traditional impression materials keep you from going to the dentist, you'll find digital impressions very helpful.
A digital impression can be in the form of an image or a video. It uses digital scanning or lasers to create detailed pictures of the teeth, gums, and hard and soft tissues in the mouth. The process eliminates the need for an unpleasant mould.
How Does The Process Work?
Any blood and saliva will first be removed from any affected teeth and your dentist will dust them with a special powder.
Digital images or videos of the affected area will be captured using an intraoral wand. The wand is put in your mouth and the process can take up to 2 minutes depending on the number of teeth that need to be looked at.
The digital software combines the images and videos, which you can also view from the dental chair. Your dentist will be taking note of the shade and material needed for the restoration and also review the images.
The virtual images can be manipulated to ensure their accuracy. Afterward, they will be sent to the dental laboratory where your restorations will be fabricated.
Benefits Of Digital Dental Impressions
With digital impressions, your dentist will not need to send your impressions through the mail. Your impression can be sent digitally to the dental laboratory. This makes same-day dental restorations possible in some cases, which ultimately can reduce the number of trips you need to make to the dental office. Here are some more benefits to digital impressions:
- Spending less time in the dental chair
- Enhancing patient comfort, making the process easier for the dental team
- Eliminating the need for messy and uncomfortable impression materials
- Improving the quality of the digital impression, which often translates to better-fitting oral appliances
- Reducing the likelihood of mistakes due to human error or issues with impression materials
- Encouraging patients to get the dental care they need
- Letting the office store digital images electronically, making recordkeeping more efficient and environmentally friendly
What Is The Difference Between Digital And Standard Impressions?
The traditional way of taking dental impressions involves more steps. The process also requires a greater level of focus to ensure no mistakes are made due to issues with the material or human error.
With digital impressions, errors may be reduced as the images can be captured precisely. It helps you and your dentist save some time as the impression and restoration can often be completed faster. Fewer visits may be required as even the restoration can sometimes be done on the same visit.
Concerned about gag reflex? With digital impressions, you aren't required to hold your mouth open for a long time, and there is no horrible goo that you have to bite down on.