Here at Docklands Dental Studio, we are committed to giving our patients the most comfortable and trauma-free dental experience possible. As an investment in our patients’ comfort, we’ve added the iTero Element scanner to our arsenal of high-tech tools.
Are you looking for a more comfortable and convenient dental experience? Visit Docklands Dental Studio. If you are in Port Melbourne or South Wharf, it’s quite easy to get to our dental practice via the Web Bridge (foot or bike) or Wurundjeri Way (by car).
The iTero Element intra-oral scanner is a benefit to both doctor and patient; it gives us an efficient way to scan and model your teeth, while saving you all the unpleasantness of a traditional dental impression. We predict it will be especially valuable when preparing patients for orthodontic and Invisalign® treatment.
We’ve already received initial reports from patients that the iTero scanner is more comfortable than prior imaging methods, and that it’s actually pretty fun to watch the digital model of your teeth take place before your very eyes!
What is the Benefit of the iTero Scanner?
If you’ve ever had to take a dental impression before, you know what the common complaint is: the goop. Traditionally, the only way to make an accurate model of your unique tooth shape and alignment is to bite down into a tray of impression materials (a.k.a. “the goop”), which hardens over a span of minutes while you simmer in its sticky, goopy mess. When the materials have hardened, the trays are removed and a wax or plaster model of your teeth can be made by reverse impression.
Yes, it only lasts a few minutes, but according to patients, it is one of the most unpleasant experiences they must suffer through in their quest for orthodontic or restorative treatments.
With iTero, we can make am accurate digital model of your teeth without the goopy impression process. No foreign materials will be introduced to the mouth; there’ll be no unpleasant tastes or smells to deal with, and you’ll be able to breathe naturally the whole time.
How iTero Works
With the iTero scanner, there is no more goop to deal with. Period. Instead, we will wave a magic wand through your mouth (it feels like magic, anyway), which captures the unique dimensions of the surfaces of your teeth and gums to create a three-dimensional virtual model of your teeth.
You and your dentist can watch the model develop in real time on the screen as the wand passes through your mouth. When the imaging process is complete, a 3D image of your teeth can be used for restorative, orthodontic, or Invisalign treatment planning.
Faster, More Accurate Treatment
With a traditional dental impression, it often took several weeks before we could get started with orthodontic treatment. After the impression was taken, we had to wait for the plaster models to be created before we could plan your treatment.
With the iTero scanner, the 3D modeling is instantaneous, so there are no delays to getting your treatment started as soon as possible!
iTero also makes for more accurate imaging and modeling of the teeth. When working with goopy impressions, there was always the chance that impression materials would not take shape properly or might stick to the teeth or dental work. Impression re-takes were a common source of delay.
With iTero, there are no physical materials to get stuck to the teeth or dental work, so there is no room for error or poor impressions. Every scan is an accurate scan, so every model can be correct.
Invisalign: Faster Imaging and Treatment Planning
One of the most impressive feats of the iTero intraoral scanner and imaging technology is how it improves treatment planning with Invisalign: the iTero system includes a specifically designed Invisalign outcome simulator.
After creating a virtual model of your teeth at point A (now), it creates a virtual rendering of your final expected outcome (point B). This lets you see what the final result will look like, and can help you visualize the projected outcome of your treatment. No more guessing what your corrected smile will look like—we’ll actually show you!
A Faster, More Comfortable Experience
Virtually any treatment that requires creating a model of teeth has now been made easier and less traumatic with the iTero scanner.
- Dental Bridges
- Dental Crowns
- Dental Implants
- Dentures
- Implant-Based Dentures
- Orthodontic Treatment
- Invisalign Treatment
Here at Docklands Dental Studio we provide high quality dentistry, but your comfort and positive experience is our highest goal. We couldn’t be more excited to add this wonderful new tool to our toolbox because we know it will make your time in the dental chair more pleasant and rewarding.
If you’ve been thinking about Invisalign treatment to correct your crooked or misaligned teeth, call us at (03) 9021-9487 to make an appointment with one of our dentists. We can’t wait to use the iTero scanner to show you what your new smile could look like!
If you are in Port Melbourne or South Wharf, it’s quite easy to get to our dental practice via the Web Bridge (foot or bike) or Wurundjeri Way (by car).
Also published on Medium.