Is a scanner going to replace impressions in the dental office? Impressions are probably on every patient’s top 10 things of NOT to do in the dental office. Impressions can be more difficult for people who have strong gag reflexes, mouth sores, or are a mouth breather. Impressions are not a fun thing for any of these patients.
Scanners are making their way into the dental office. A good quality impression is fundamental for a successful outcome for restorative dentistry. It can also be helpful if a treatment plan includes sending a model to another professional to make/build an appliance or restorative option.
A scanner is a digital image of the patient’s teeth and bite. Once the patient has been scanned, it can be electronically sent to a lab for processing. If the scanner is implemented in dental offices, it could take less appointment time with added accuracy than a regular impression that needs to be mailed. The professional would also save time in having to pack and ship the models to the lab, which could run the risk of it being lost or damaged. Lisa M