Digital Impressions

Digital impressions let your dentist capture a virtual map of your teeth. Within minutes, a computer-generated replica of your mouth can be completed. If the traditional impressions 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 images of the teeth, gums, as well as hard and soft tissues in the mouth. The process eliminates the need for an unpleasant and distasteful mold.

How the Process Works

• Blood and saliva will be removed from the affected tooth and your dentist will dust it with a special powder.
• Digital images or videos of the affected area will be captured using an intraoral wand. The wand is inserted into your mouth and the process can take up to 2 minutes depending on the number of teeth to be restored.
• The digital impression software puts together the images and videos, which you can also view from the chairside screen.
• 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 Impressions

With digital impressions, your dentist no longer needs to send your impressions via conventional mail. Your impression can be sent in real-time to the dental laboratory. This makes same-day dental restorations possible, which then reduces the trips you need to make to the dental office.

Here are more of the benefits of digital impressions in dentistry:

• 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 translates to better-fitting oral appliance
• Reducing tendencies 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

Difference Between Traditional and Digital Impressions

The traditional way of taking dental impressions involves more steps. The process also requires utmost care as there are chances of committing mistakes due to issues with the impression materials used or human error.

With digital impressions, errors are reduced as the images can be captured precisely. It helps you and your dentist save time as the impression and restoration can be completed faster. You no longer have to take multiple visits as even the restoration can sometimes be done in the dental office.

If you are concerned about gag reflex, with digital impressions, you need not hold your mouth open for a long period to have your impressions taken. If there are any missing areas, your dentist may be able to patch the digital images without you retaking the impression. Additional scans can be added to the original image to make it more accurate.

There’s No Need for Gooey Impressions with Digital Scanning

Get your dental impressions taken with ease with digital scanners. Here at Embrace Dental, we put patient comfort first. We’re proud to be using digital impression systems in our office.

For more information about this dental innovation and how it can help you in your dental procedures, we invite you to come in for a visit. Call us today at (403) 723-2273 and we'll be happy to assist you.